By Canadian Press

Preliminary hearing scheduled for March in Laval daycare bus crash deaths

Nov 29, 2023 | 9:33 AM

LAVAL, Que. — The preliminary hearing for a man accused of killing two children this year when a city bus was driven into a Laval, Que., daycare will begin on March 25.

Defence lawyer Julien Lespérance Hudon told a Laval court today that he plans to challenge the two charges of first-degree murder on the grounds that his client, Pierre Ny St-Amand, did not have criminal intent.

St-Amand, 51, who remains detained at a Montreal psychiatric hospital, appeared in court today by video conference.

Prosecutor Karine Dalphond says she plans to call about 10 witnesses during the four-day hearing, including a psychologist, a psychiatrist and St-Amand’s wife.

Dalphond says the hearing, which will determine whether there is enough evidence to proceed to trial, will take place north of Laval in St-Jérôme because a courtroom isn’t available in Laval.

Nighttime construction on Hwy 3 in Lethbridge starts April 17

Apr 17, 2025

SASHA launches #BuyABed fundraiser to support vulnerable Lethbridge residents

Apr 04, 2025

$20K grants available: TELUS STORYHIVE Pan-Asian Edition opens applications April 1

Mar 18, 2025

A bus driver with the Laval transit corporation at the time of the crash, St-Amand was arrested after a city bus plowed into the front of a daycare on Feb. 8, killing two four-year-olds and injuring six other children.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 29, 2023.

The Canadian Press

For local news delivered daily to your email inbox, subscribe for free to the Lethbridge News Now newsletter here. You can also download the Lethbridge News Now mobile app in the Google Play and the Apple App Stores.