A guilty plea from the truck driver involved in the Humboldt Broncos crash this morning.
Jaskirat Singh Sidhu pleaded guilty to 16 counts of dangerous driving causing death and 13 counts of dangerous driving causing bodily harm.
Reporter for 650 CKOM in Saskatoon, Chris Vandenbreekel was in the Melfort, Saskatchewan court.
He says the courtroom was so crowded, the only seat Sidhu could take was right behind Scott Thomas and other Broncos family members.
Thomas says it was a powerful moment.
“I don’t want to say I could feel his remorse, but I could feel his presence.”
But the biggest few seconds for the father who lost his son in the Broncos crash was when Sidhu spoke to say he was guilty.
“When he said guilty, to me, I have my closure. If he spends a day, if he spends ten years time, is irrelevant.”
It will now be the end of the month before the public learns what actually happened when Sidhu crashed into the Broncos bus.
In a release, the Broncos organization says they’re relieved there won’t be a drawn-out trial.
They thanked Sidhu for taking responsibility for his actions.
Humboldt Bronco’s President Jamie Brockman commended Sidhu for “sparing the survivors and the families the anguish and turmoil of rehashing this tragedy in court.”
Reported by Chris Vandenbreekel 650 CKOM (twitter @Vandecision)
with files from Ed Halverson
Twitter: @edwardhalverson
E-mail: halverson.ed@radioabl.ca