Charges stayed for fatal hit-and-run in Regina

A stay of proceedings has been granted for a woman who was accused of a hit-and-run in Regina.

Sjaane McMurchie, 49, was initially charged with failure to stop which resulted in death in connection with an incident involving a 70-year-old man at the intersection of Rochdale and Cedar Meadow Drive.

Regina police say it happened in October 2021, and McMurchie was arrested in May 2022.

“After the completion of the preliminary inquiry in the lead-up to trial, the crown did one further analysis of the case and we concluded that we no longer had a reasonable likelihood of conviction in the matter and as a result we direct to stay of proceedings,” Senior Crown Prosecutor Derek Davidson told 980 CJME.

Davidson said the family of the victim was notified of the crown’s conclusion.

The charges were stayed on Aug. 22, 2024.

According to a Regina Police Service (RPS) news release, officers responded to reports of a crash at the intersection around 7:21 a.m. on Oct. 21, 2021.

RPS said it was told that the man was crossing Rochdale from the south sidewalk when an SUV turned left off Cedar Meadow Drive onto Rochdale. RPS said the vehicle kept driving east without stopping.

The man was taken to the hospital by paramedics but died later that same day. The vehicle in question was also found that day, but no one was charged until nearly seven months later.