The man facing 29 charges in the Humboldt Broncos bus crash had his court case adjourned after his lawyer asked for more time to review the “complex” case.
Defence lawyer Satnam Aujla appeared by phone briefly in Melfort Provincial Court Tuesday morning and asked for an adjournment for more time “basically to review the particulars, and it’s a complex file so we are requesting an adjournment,” he said.
Crown prosecutor Thomas Healey agreed to the adjournment.
Jaskirat Singh Sidhu, 29, was not in court and is not obligated to appear in person at this stage.
His case is now set for Oct. 23 in Melfort at 9:30 a.m. for defence election, which means Sidhu could choose how the case will be heard– either by provincial court judge, Court of Queen’s Bench judge or Court of Queen’s Bench judge and jury.
Sidhu is charged with 16 counts of dangerous driving causing death and 13 counts of dangerous driving causing bodily harm relating to the Humboldt Broncos bus crash in April.
The Crown agreed to Sidhu being released on $1,000 bail in July under conditions including he not drive and surrender his passport. He lives in Calgary.
The maximum sentence for a dangerous driving causing death conviction is 14 years while a dangerous driving causing bodily harm conviction carries a maximum 10-year sentence.
Sidhu has not yet entered any pleas.
