The crown’s first witness in the trial of Robert Major testified Monday.
Major faces 12 charges including dangerous driving causing death and criminal negligence causing death.
Major was in a truck with six other people that collided with a semi tractor-trailer in Highway 16 near Langham in February 2016.
His two sons, aged four and nine, along with his 26-year-old girlfriend died in the crash. Two other children, aged five and 11, and a 46-year-old man survived.
Shane Larner, a Borden, Sask., man who was on his way to Saskatoon for work on the morning of the crash, told the court he saw a northbound vehicle approaching Highway 16.
He said he saw the headlights about half a mile in the distance and the vehicle was travelling fast.
As the vehicle approached Highway 16, Larner saw a big plume of snow, he said. As he drove past the crash site he saw a vehicle cut in half in the ditch with metal debris thrown across the highway, he testified.
Defence lawyer Mark Brayford said in his cross-examination that there were obstructions in the line of sight from the semi-driver’s perspective and the witness agreed an Ag in Motion sign on the side of the highway would obstruct the semi’s view of an oncoming vehicle.
Larner added he was thinking of turning around and driving back to the crash site but saw another semi and a vehicle slow down and pull over as they approached the crash.
Larner told the court he phoned RCMP when he arrived at work in Saskatoon to report the crash.
The trial resumes Wednesday and is scheduled to run for two weeks.
