More charges laid following Burlington Skyway truck wreck

BURLINGTON, Ont. — Things have gone from bad to worse for the former truck driver charged with taking out the Burlington Skyway in August.

The Toronto Star reports driver Sukhvinder Rai, already charged with impaired driving, now faces further charges of dangerous driving, mischief endangering life and three counts of criminal negligence causing bodily harm.

All charges stem from the same incident, in which Rai’s raised dump box plowed into the Burlington Skyway, taking it out of commission for several days. Rai appeared in court yesterday and is currently out on bail.

He’ll be back in court Nov. 7.

 

Avatar photo

James Menzies is editor of Today's Trucking. He has been covering the Canadian trucking industry for more than 20 years and holds a CDL. Reach him at james@newcom.ca or follow him on Twitter at @JamesMenzies.


Have your say


This is a moderated forum. Comments will no longer be published unless they are accompanied by a first and last name and a verifiable email address. (Today's Trucking will not publish or share the email address.) Profane language and content deemed to be libelous, racist, or threatening in nature will not be published under any circumstances.

*

  • I am confused. I understand the driver charged has ask for an interpreter.
    Q. How did he get a CDL not being able to read road signs.?
    I don’t have faith in our legal system when it comes to “New Canadians”, they find a language loop hole. In this case the PTO was not in Punjabi. He should lose his privilege to operate a motor vehicle for life and a minimum 15 years incarceration. Costs for the bridge should be imposed as well any claims for additional cost for drivers using alternate routes. As I was one who incurred costs at my expense. The driver put a lot of peoples lives at risk after consuming alcohol and made the choice to operate a vehicle, and compounded the situation in a commercial vehicle. That was his choice! justice will not be served!!

  • The last three semi truck accidents we recovered were all with new Canadian drivers. Cause of them were from not paying attention to road signs, speeding or not knowing the road conditions. I would guess the cost would be close to half a million dollars if not more.
    Trucking companies need to spend more time with new drivers.

  • I agree with Al. How does Rai obtain a CDL without reading or speaking our language? It is very simple. The last time I wrote my Z endorsement test I noticed a sign on the wall which stated that anybody writing the drivers test could ask for it in any language in the world. This of course means that if you do not read English you can ask for a test written in your native language. How the %$#@ does that happen in Ontario? Easy, politicians garnering votes in their own interest. This political crap has gone too far and here is the result a badly damaged bridge which the tax payer will have to pay for. Rai has no money and the insurance company has probably walked away due to the impaired charge.

  • Until we stand as a group (trucking associations) and write our elected and demand changes there will continue to be untrained dangerous drivers out there. As well this occupation must be classed as skilled, and require mandatory training and annual follow up.

  • I too am concerned about how individuals, even Canadians (anglophones) are allowed to obtain their drivers license especially if they can’t comprehend the ENGLISH language let alone READ at all. I knew a particular situation (former family associatio) who wasn’t able to read very well and was read the questions and test answers to them so they could have a drivers license. Does this still happen?
    If one can’t read, comprehend or posess the mentality to read and process the rules, road signs and situations encountered operating ANY motor vehicle how the heck are they able to obtain this PRIVILEGE called a motor vehicle license?
    We need to tighten the requirement for obtaining particularly commercial vehicle licenses to avoid some obvious loopholes for “new canadians” especially.

  • I think we all know where the fault lies. After reading the headlines of the Toronto Star on October 11th. There is absolutely nobody else to blame then the MTO.

  • Definitely MTO driver improvement and driver control centre fault for not inspecting the signing authorities records and random retesting of drivers. Class A licenses need more categories to include pintle hitch trailers with air brakes, as well as driver experience requirements before operating heavier loads and multiple trailers.

    Ed