Diallo 'innocent' lawyers say on final day of Westboro bus crash trial
Aissatou Diallo's lawyers say what happened at Westboro station in January 2019 was a tragic accident that could have happened to anyone.
"Factors far beyond her control conspired together and they lead to a tragic result," Soloman Friedman told court. "In our law, tragic results are not automatically punished by criminal liability."
The defence said Diallo, who has pleaded not guilty to three counts of dangerous driving causing death and 35 counts of dangerous driving causing bodily harm, was misled by lane markings on the road left over from construction which they say explains why she veered to the right before the bus slammed into two snowbanks, a rockface and then the shelter.
"There's no question at that point the sun is bright. It's blinding, it's directly in front of her," Friedman said.
In its submissions, the Crown said Diallo never braked or steered away.
"Recovery in that ice and snow-covered gutter would be difficult if not impossible," Friedman said, adding Diallo did try to steer away but didn't brake because she was taught not to under those conditions.
The Crown also contends Diallo wasn't paying attention, was speeding and didn't have control of the bus. Diallo's lawyer said while speed isn't irrelevant, "there's no legal speed limit on the Transitway."
"At the time Ms. Diallo was trained there was no formal approach to…ensure you got sufficient training on the type of bus that you would be driving more often," Friedman said of her training.
Friedman also said there's no evidence of distracted driving and that Diallo is "not just not guilty, she's innocent."
A date for the judge to deliver his verdict will be set on July 26.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Person on fire outside Trump's hush money trial rushed away on a stretcher
A person who was on fire in a park outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump’s hush money trial is taking place has been rushed away on a stretcher.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
Vicious attack on a dog ends with charges for northern Ont. suspect
Police in Sault Ste. Marie charged a 22-year-old man with animal cruelty following an attack on a dog Thursday morning.
The Body Shop Canada explores sale as demand outpaces inventory: court filing
The Body Shop Canada is exploring a sale as it struggles to get its hands on enough inventory to keep up with "robust" sales after announcing it would file for creditor protection and close 33 stores.
Tropical fish stolen from Beachburg, Ont. restaurant found and returned
Ontario Provincial Police have landed a suspect following a fishy theft in Beachburg, Ont.
U.S. FAA launches investigation into unauthorized personnel in cockpit of Colorado Rockies flight to Toronto
The U.S.’s Federal Aviation Administration is investigating a video that appears to show unauthorized personnel in the cockpit of a charted Colorado Rockies flight to Toronto.