Driver found not guilty in 2019 fatal Ottawa transit bus crash
The Ottawa bus driver charged in the fatal 2019 Westboro bus crash has been found not guilty on all charges.
Aissatou Diallo, 44, faced three counts of dangerous driving causing death and 35 counts of dangerous driving causing bodily harm in relation to the crash more than two-and-a-half years ago.
A judge rendered his verdict Wednesday morning, calling the case "tragic."
"The degree of human pain and loss suffered by so many has not eluded me," Justice Matthew Webber said in his ruling. "However, to convict Ms. Diallo would be to cast the net far too wide."
Three people died and nearly two-dozen others were injured when the double-decker OC Transpo bus Diallo was driving crashed into the overhanging shelter at the Westboro bus station.
Diallo's lawyers argued that there were a number of factors that led to the crash, including lane markings on the road left over from construction that misled her. Her lawyer said on Wednesday she never should have been charged.
"This is a case where charges never should have been laid," her lawyer Solomon Friedman told reporters after the verdict. "She did her very, very best under unbelievably challenging circumstances," he said.
"All you need to do is watch the video. See the blinding sun, see the lights, see the road markings that should have been obliterated properly but never were...when you take that in concert with the ice and snow-filled gutter on the side of the road, Ms. Diallo didn't have a chance."
Bruce Thomlinson, 56, Judy Booth, 57, and Anja Van Beek, 65, were killed in the crash.
The three victims from the fatal OC Transpo bus crash on January 11, 2019. Bruce Thomlinson (left), Judy Booth (centre), Anja Van Beek (right)
Members of Thomlinson and Booth's family were in the courtroom for the verdict.
Booth’s daughter broke down in tears when the not-guilty verdict was read out.
Mayor Jim Watson said the verdict will be difficult for some people to hear.
"We may not like the decision, but we have to support it," he said. "This has obviously been stressful for the drive herself, as you can well imagine ... but our first thoughts of course are with the family and friends of the three individuals who lost their lives on that tragic day."
More to come...
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
Humboldt Broncos bus crash survivor qualifies Canada for Paralympics in rowing event
Former Humboldt Broncos goaltender and bus crash survivor Jacob Wassermann has qualified Canada for a rowing event for the 2024 Paralympic games in Paris.
Baby boom amongst nurses leads to maternity ward closure in Listowel, Ont.
The emergency room at Listowel’s hospital is open today, but come summer, their obstetrics unit will be temporarily closing its delivery rooms.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
Krispy Kreme doughnuts coming to McDonald's in U.S., but not Canada
Canadians will be missing out on a sweet new partnership between McDonald's and Krispy Kreme, which will see doughnuts available at McDonald's locations across the U.S. by the end of 2026.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.
Quebec judge orders bus driver to stand trial for 2023 daycare crash deaths
A judge has ordered a Quebec man to stand trial on charges of first-degree murder in the deaths of two children killed when a bus rammed into a Montreal-area daycare last year.