Police may never be able to talk to driver of bus in deadly collision in Manitoba

WINNIPEG — Police may never be able to talk to the driver of a bus involved in a crash that killed 17 people a year ago near Carberry, Man., a RCMP official said Thursday.

“We have to respect the privacy of the driver, but I can say that the results of the accident inflicted some severe medical issues for the driver, and he’s not able to provide those answers that we would like,” said Supt. Rob Lasson, officer in charge of major crime services for the Manitoba RCMP.

Ahead of the one-year anniversary of the tragedy, Lasson thanked the victims’ families for their patience.

“This investigation was very complex, very unique (and) required a copious amount of various resources.”

The bus was carrying seniors from Dauphin, Man., to a casino near Carberry on June 15 of last year and had 25 people on board.

The bus was on Highway 5 and crossing the Trans-Canada Highway when it collided with a semi-trailer.

Police have said the semi-trailer had the right of way. Traffic along the Trans-Canada is free-flowing while vehicles that cross at the intersection on Highway 5 have stop and yield signs.

Police have been able to speak to witnesses, including survivors of the crash, have run analyses on both vehicles, and have gone over forensic reports, Lasson said

RCMP handed over their findings in January to the Crown attorneys’ office, which has yet to decide whether to lay charges. Lasson said he expects a decision soon but would not estimate a date.

People in Dauphin are scheduled to mark the one-year anniversary of the tragedy on Saturday with a new monument to the victims.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 13, 2024

The Canadian Press