Accused becomes visibly upset during day-two of fatal collision trial
LETHBRIDGE – There were several heated and potentially significant moments as day two went ahead in the dangerous driving causing death trial of City of Lethbridge employee, Scott Edward Erickson.
The charge stems from the Nov. 13, 2015, death of 72-year-old Alan Johnston, who was killed after the minivan he was driving hit the back of the front-end loader that Erickson was operating on Whoop-Up Drive that afternoon.
As part of evidence being entered by the Crown on Tuesday, Mar. 6, transportation operations manager for the city, Lee Perkins, took the stand.
While being questioned by Crown prosecutor Bruce Ainscough, Perkins stated a number of times that the use of a front-end loader to scoop up snow on Whoop-Up Drive was not a standard city practice. When asked if he ever would have authorized such an effort, he said “Absolutely not.” He agreed that water runoff from the melting snow along the median could freeze overnight and cause a safety issue but said sand and salt should have been used on the road instead.