2020 police interview with supervisor charged in dump truck driver's death plays in court
A police interview from 2021 with Milton Urgiles, the man charged with criminal negligence causing the death of one of his workers in 2020, played in a Barrie courtroom on Thursday as the two-week trial continued.
"He told you the day before, and then he died in the same truck the next day. That doesn't look good," said the officer in the interview.
Urgiles, with the help of an interpreter, told police he wanted to help them with their investigation into the deadly dump truck crash that killed 53-year-old driver Denis Garant eight months earlier.
- Download the CTV News app free to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates sent to your email inbox
In the court exhibit, Urgiles said he "swears to God that the truck was fine and that the reason the tire went flat is not because of the problem with the steering wheel" before telling police he wanted to speak to his lawyer.
That was when police charged Urgiles with criminal negligence causing death, alleging a mechanical defect caused the dump truck to leave the road, crash into a ditch and hit the tree on Sept. 22, 2020.
The trial, which got underway last week, has faced several delays and complications, including the failure of a key witness who the Crown said had deliberately avoided receiving the court subpoena, effectively sidestepping having to testify against her spouse, Urgiles.
Justice Mary Vallee agreed to issue a warrant for the arrest of Janeth Zambrano, who was asked to testify in court to give evidence in the trial of her common-law partner, whom the court heard served as Garant's supervisor at the trucking company owned by his spouse.
The Crown also presented text messages from Garant to his supervisor, Urgiles, the next day before the deadly crash along the Adjala-Tecumesth Townline between Concessions 2 and 3, expressing his concerns with the truck's steering.
The court must now decide whether Zambrano's prior testimony in the preliminary hearing six months ago will be admitted as evidence in Urgiles' trial.
The two-week trial was supposed to conclude Friday; however, the defence told the court it still needed to present more evidence.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6979388.1722030190!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
Celine Dion delivers stirring comeback performance at Paris Olympics opening ceremony
Against the rainy Paris night sky, Celine Dion staged the comeback of her career with a powerful performance from the Eiffel Tower to open the Olympic Games.
Jasper wildfire: 'Several weeks' before residents can return, premier says
Premier Danielle Smith said Friday afternoon in Hinton while weather conditions are cooler, the Jasper fire is still considered out of control and that Jasper residents can expect to be away from their homes 'for several weeks.'
Missing 3-year-old boy found dead in creek in Mississauga, Ont.: police
A three-year-old boy has been found dead a day after he went missing in a park in Mississauga, Ont., Peel police say.
Irish museum pulls Sinead O'Connor waxwork after just one day due to backlash
An Irish museum will withdraw a waxwork of singer-songwriter Sinéad O'Connor just one day after installing it, following a backlash from her family and the public, it told CNN in a statement on Friday.
Winnipeg senior's account overdrawn for $146,000 water bill
A Winnipeg senior is getting soaked with a six-figure water bill.
Turpel-Lafond won't sue CBC over Cree heritage report that took 'heavy toll': lawyer
The lawyer for a former judge whose claims to be Cree were questioned in a CBC investigation says his client is not considering legal action against the broadcaster after the Law Society of British Columbia this week backed her claims of Indigenous heritage.
Driver charged after flashing high beams at approaching police
Orillia OPP arrested and charged a driver with impaired driving after flashing their high beams.
Major Canadian bank experiences direct deposit outage on payday
Scotiabank says it has fixed a technical issue that impacted direct deposits on Friday morning.
FBI says Trump was indeed struck by bullet during assassination attempt
Nearly two weeks after Donald Trump’s near assassination, the FBI confirmed Friday that it was indeed a bullet that struck the former president’s ear, moving to clear up conflicting accounts about what caused the former U.S. president’s injuries after a gunman opened fire at a Pennsylvania rally.