Following a contested bail hearing before provincial court Judge Michael Clark on Aug. 28, an Ontario truck driver, Navjeet Singh, who had been evading Canadian authorities for over nine months, was granted bail. The conditions of his release include surrendering his passport and driver’s license, residing at a specified address in Ontario, refraining from occupying the driver’s seat of a vehicle, and reporting weekly to Manitoba police.
Singh, 26, was apprehended at Toronto’s Pearson International Airport a week prior after arriving in Canada on an Ethiopian Airlines flight. He was wanted on charges related to a fatal crash on Nov. 15, 2024, which claimed the lives of Sara Unger, 35, and her eight-year-old daughter, Alexa, near Altona, Manitoba.
During the bail hearing, Crown attorney Michael Himmelman stated that Singh was believed to have been driving at a speed exceeding the limit and ran a stop sign, colliding with Unger’s SUV. The court learned that there were no adverse weather conditions or obstructions on the highway that night, as per a recording of the hearing reviewed by CBC.
According to Himmelman, a witness described the collision as an “explosion,” propelling the SUV a significant distance and causing extensive damage. The prosecutor also highlighted that Singh’s vehicle’s data recorder was turned off at the time of the crash, and there were allegations of falsified driving logs, which could indicate potential driver fatigue.
Despite Singh having no criminal record, Himmelman argued that he posed a flight risk, pointing out that Singh was aware of the arrest warrant when he left Canada, suggesting deliberate evasion of authorities.
‘He came back to fight the charges’
In response to concerns about flight risk, Singh’s lawyer, Abhay Gautam, emphasized that Singh returned to Canada fully aware of the impending arrest and intended to face the charges. Gautam explained that Singh, an international student from India since 2020, had been working as a truck driver to support his family.
Judge Clark acknowledged the severity of the case but emphasized the importance of providing reasonable bail unless there is just cause to deny it. Singh’s bail conditions, which include strict requirements and financial assurances, were deemed sufficient to address any concerns about his release.
Singh’s case is set to proceed in court in December.