Originally Posted by The Province

The drivers of the two Corvettes waiting at the Surrey stop light were talking and laughing through their windows, revving their engines at each other, seemingly primed for a street race.

“It did appear they were trying to show whose engine was bigger,” said Philippa Bond, who testified Friday in B.C. Provincial Court in Surrey.

Gurjit Singh Dhillon is charged with one count of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle while street racing causing death in connection with the Sept. 17, 2009 crash that killed 83-year-old Pritam Benning. It has been admitted that Dhillon was driving the black Corvette that killed Benning. At issue is whether he was racing or driving dangerously at the time.

http://www.theprovince.com/news/7129...?size=620x400s

Bond was on 72nd Avenue, stopped at the intersection with 128th, when she spotted the black and yellow Corvettes. They were in the southbound lanes of 128th waiting for the light to change.

Bond said after the light turned green and the cars took off, engines roaring, they quickly changed lanes.

“The black Corvette was trying to keep up with the yellow Corvette. He was swerving in and out of lanes,” she said.

Bond saw the black Corvette clip another car, spin two or three times and then careen into the bench where Benning sat waiting for a bus.

“The bus bench fell back and he flew about six feet,” the 26-year-old said, dissolving into tears.

http://www.theprovince.com/news/7129...?size=620x400s

When cross-examined by the defence about the drivers’ behaviour, Bond said: “I don’t think they left their houses intending to race, but with revving their engines, that seemed to be their idea.”

Bond was one of six people Friday who told the court what they saw in the minutes leading up to the collision.

Randolph Frilund, 53, was driving down 128th Street, on his way home from work, when he heard a sound “like a jet engine” and saw two Corvettes — one yellow, one black — race past him.

“They both went by pretty quickly,” Frilund testified.

Frilund said the black Corvette had to stop quickly at 72nd Avenue, and the rear end of the car fishtailed a bit. When the light turned green the cars accelerated, but the yellow one was faster. The black one collided with another vehicle and “shot like a cannon” into Benning.

“I saw the gentleman on the park bench kind of in the air. He was in the air,” Frilund said, prompting sobs from Benning’s family.

Other witnesses reported hearing revving at the stop light, loud accelerating and screeching tires. There were conflicting reports about whether the drivers of both cars were communicating and their positions in traffic.

Two people reported seeing the yellow Corvette stop briefly after the crash before leaving. The driver has never been identified.

Manjit Benning said outside court that he and his family have been waiting to hear the eyewitness accounts of the crash.

“We didn’t know what occurred and now because we came to the court case we’re hearing a little bit more of what actually did happen,” he said. “These people, they have no agenda so they’re going to say what they saw.”

Manjit said it was most difficult to listen to the accounts from those who saw his father thrown from the bench: “It’s just senseless.”

The trial continues.

Originally Posted by Anjew (Post 8012550)

criminal record, inability to leave the country for awhile, cant drive again ever hopefully, cant leave the house for 6 months to a year. i think that is enough time for them to sit and contemplate their stupidity.

hard time in prison isnt exactly necessary

Originally Posted by Energy (Post 8012787)

^ that Monty Robinson case bothers me. He was given a lenient sentence partly because he was native. So are there two sets of rules in this country? One for natives and one for the rest of us?

Originally Posted by vantrip (Post 8096360)

I think he might get deported since its believed he's not a citizen. When the media asked him he did not confirm/deny, so who knows him getting deported there may be justice served.

Originally Posted by 4444 (Post 8096437)

he'll get deported, change his name, and come back - such BS, some justice but not true justice

Originally Posted by Graeme S (Post 8096507)

There was a dude about ten years ago who killed a lady while street racing; I think he spun out along marine drive. Similar story; Indian guy, not a citizen, got deported. He appealed for quite awhile on humanitarian grounds (lived here all his life, not able to function in society, etc etc).

Still got deported. Don't think I ever saw anything after that about him. I have to say it kind of makes me wonder what the disadvantages of getting Canadian citizenship is. Like, what makes it so worth it to not become a citizen?

Not that I'm complaining about being able to deport people who've shown not to respect the country, that is.