Inquest announced into Westboro bus crash deaths

The three victims from the fatal OC Transpo bus crash on January 11, 2019. Bruce Thomlinson (left), Judy Booth (centre), Anja Van Beek (right)

The Ontario government has announced an inquest will be held into the deaths of three people during the 2019 Westboro bus crash.

Judy Booth, 57; Bruce Thomlinson, 56; and Anja Van Beek, 65, were killed when an OC Transpo double-decker bus slammed into the bus shelter at Westboro Station on Jan. 11, 2019. Twenty-three more people were injured in the crash.

"A discretionary inquest has been called to examine the circumstances into their deaths. The jury may make recommendations aimed at preventing further deaths," a news release from the Ministry of the Solicitor General said.

The driver of the bus, Aissatou Diallo, was acquitted of all charges of dangerous driving causing death and dangerous driving causing bodily harm following a trial in 2021.

The City of Ottawa accepted civil responsibility for the crash and said it had paid out millions of dollars in claims. A proposed class action lawsuit was rejected by a judge in 2021.

This is considered a discretionary inquest. According to the ministry, an inquest may be held at the discretion of the coroner if they determine that:

• enough information is known from a death investigation to support an inquest
• it is desirable for the public to have an open and full hearing of the circumstance of a death
• a jury could make useful recommendations to prevent further deaths

Further details regarding the inquest, including the date and venue, have not been confirmed. The ministry said those details would be provided at a later date.

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