The case of a man charged in the alleged hit-and-run deaths of two women in Coquitlam is one step closer to trial.
The lawyer for Cory Sater said he has received the appropriate documents from the Crown and is now ready to move forward with a trial. Tony Serka had been pushing the Crown to disclose early drafts of an accident reconstruction report he said were essential to his case.
The delay in receiving those documents made setting a date for trial impossible but on Wednesday, he said he and his client are ready to move forward. Both the defence and the Crown will appear before the presiding judge next Thursday to set a trial date.
The accident reconstruction report was reportedly completed some time ago by the lead investigators on the case but was later altered under a peer review process, according to lawyers for both sides. Serka has said that he wants to see those changes reversed and that he will require all versions of the reconstruction report that were submitted before the case goes to trial.
"I received the original draft," he said. "I haven't received the subsequent drafts but we feel we need to set a date."
Sater is accused of killing two women and seriously injuring a man after an alleged hit-and-run accident at the intersection of Lougheed Highway and Pitt River Road.
Charlene Reaveley stopped to assist another motorist, Lorraine Cruz, who had been involved in a minor accident when they were both struck and killed. Cruz's friend, Paulo Calimahin, was seriously injured.
At the next hearing, Sater is expected to make a plea and will choose whether to stand trial before a judge alone or a judge and jury.
gmckenna@tricitynews.com
