A man involved in a vehicle collision in Coquitlam that killed two children and paralyzed another three years ago was in a Port Coquitlam courtroom Monday afternoon.
Ryan John Stewart Miller was arrested re-entering Canada from Australia, a country he departed for shortly after the Crown approved charges of driving with undue care and attention against him.
The 29-year-old Vancouver resident was held in custody over the weekend and appeared in court Monday.
The incident occurred in November of 2008 when a Toyota minivan carrying eight family members broke down in the HOV lane eastbound on Highway 1 approaching the Cape Horn Interchange.
Police and accident reconstruction specialists believe Miller, who was allegedly driving a BMW at the time of the accident, slammed into the back of the van without braking. A Toyota driven by a 35-year-old woman was also involved in the collision, hitting the driver's side door of the BMW.
Two of the three brothers sitting in the back row of the minivan were killed, while the third brother was paralyzed. Two elderly woman who were sitting on the middle bench were seriously injured along with a 49-year-old woman in the passenger seat and the mother of the three boys. All eight family members were wearing seat belts at the time of the collision.
"This is one of the most tragic incidents that I have ever had to be involved in," said RCMP Sgt. Peter Thiessen. "This family has been changed forever and no family should ever have to endure this type of tragedy and pain."
More to come...
