Crown says Diallo didn't brake or have control of bus during closing arguments at Westboro bus crash trial
During closing arguments at the Westboro bus crash trial Tuesday, the Crown said driver Aissatou Diallo was speeding, didn't have control of the bus and wasn't paying attention when it crashed in January 2019.
Crown attorney Dallas Mack telling the judge Diallo, who was behind the wheel, "operated that bus, in short, in a markedly different manner than a multitude of other operators that navigated Westboro Station that day and she failed to react in any meaningful way once the danger was perceived by her when she exclaimed 'Oh, my God.'"
"No brakes are applied, no evasive steering is done," Mack said. "Instead what happens is she applies the throttle for two seconds while off-road."
Judy Booth, Bruce Thomlinson and Anja Van Beek were killed in the crash. Diallo has pleaded not guilty to three counts of dangerous driving causing death and 35 counts of dangerous driving causing bodily harm.
Court heard there was no medical emergency and nothing was mechanically wrong with the bus. The defence said sun glare was a big factor.
On Monday, the Crown showed videos from Diallo's bus that day. They say it shows the sun was shining throughout her route and that Diallo was able to navigate around a truck that had been parked in a bus lane and stop for a red light despite the sun making it hard to see what colour it was.
"If it really is as blinding for her…driving at 67 km/h into a 50 zone approaching Westboro station is dangerous," Mack said.
The defence argued Diallo's training wasn't adequate and that lines from previous construction were confusing.
Mack told the judge "the notion that she sees this construction line and is veering right is inconsistent with where she actually ends up…her movement to the right starts well before that line."
Questions were also raised about whether Diallo was distracted before the crash. The Crown alleges grainy footage shows Diallo pulling a headphone out of her ear after the crash with the phone in her hand as she rushes to the top floor.
As for whether it contributed to the crash, Mack said "…this may be an explanation, an explanation that Mr. Lamoureux, the defence expert even agrees that wearing an earbud would be a distraction and is contrary to OC Transpo policy."
Diallo did not testify at trial. Her lawyers will present their closing arguments on Wednesday.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
7 surveillance videos linked to extortions of South Asian home builders in Edmonton released
The Edmonton Police Service has released a number of surveillance videos related to a series of extortion cases in the city now dubbed 'Project Gaslight.'
Ukraine uses long-range missiles secretly provided by U.S. to hit Russian-held areas, officials say
Ukraine for the first time has begun using long-range ballistic missiles provided secretly by the United States, bombing a Russian military airfield in Crimea last week and Russian forces in another occupied area overnight, American officials said Wednesday.
Pilot reported fire onboard plane carrying fuel, attempted to return to Fairbanks just before crash
One of the two pilots aboard an airplane carrying fuel reported there was a fire on the airplane shortly before it crashed and burned outside Fairbanks, killing both people on board, a federal aviation official said Wednesday.
BREAKING Manitoba government tables bill to end ban on homegrown recreational cannabis
Manitoba is planning to lift its ban on the home growing of recreational cannabis.
All Alberta wildfires to date in 2024 believed to be human-caused: province
There are 63 wildfires burning in Alberta's forest protection area as of Wednesday morning and seven mutual aid fires, including one in the Municipal District of Peace.