Key witness dodges testifying, delaying fatal dump truck crash trial
The trial of Milton Urgiles, accused of criminal negligence leading to the death of one of his workers in 2020, resumed Friday in a Barrie courtroom with the Crown alleging that a key witness was "holding her evidence hostage."
For weeks, the court has tried and failed to serve Janeth Zambrano with a subpoena to testify at the trial of her common-law spouse.
"It is clearly evident that Ms. Zambrano has gone to great lengths to evade service," the Crown stated.
- Download the CTV News app free to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates sent to your email inbox
The court heard Zambrano, who owns the trucking company that employs Urgiles as its supervisor, provided the dump truck involved in the crash on Sept. 22, 2020, that resulted in the death of 53-year-old driver Denis Garant along the Adjala-Tecumseth Townline near Alliston.
The Crown believes Zambrano holds crucial evidence that would be "detrimental to the court's truth-seeking function," including procedures and safety policies relating to the vehicles.
On Tuesday, Justice Mary Vallee ordered the issuance of a material witness warrant for the arrest of Zambrano after police also admitted serving the woman with a court subpoena for the preliminary hearing proved challenging.
Police arrested Urgiles months after the deadly crash, alleging a mechanical defect caused the company's dump truck to lose control, crash into a ditch and collide with a tree claiming the life of Garant.
A dump truck crashed into a tree on Adjala-Tecumseth Townline near Alliston, Ont., on Sept. 22, 2020.
The Crown said text messages Garant sent to Urgiles noting his concerns about the truck's steering the night before the collision went unanswered and that the supervisor put Garant back behind the wheel of the dump truck the following day.
Zambrano's avoidance of the courtroom left the Crown to seek a hearsay application in her absence and request preliminary hearing testimony to also be heard at the trial.
Shopping Trends
The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at CTV News. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'I'm so broken': Grieving family speaks out after B.C. cancer patient awaiting treatment chooses MAID
A devastated family says long waits for cancer treatment led a beloved father and grandfather to choose medically assisted death 13 days ago.
BREAKING
BREAKING Las Vegas police say suspect dead after reports of university shooting
Las Vegas police on Wednesday said they responded to reports of an active shooter on the local campus of the University of Nevada, where there appeared to be multiple victims, and then reported the suspect was 'deceased.'
PM pans Poilievre for 'pulling stunts' by threatening to delay MPs' holidays with House tactics
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is threatening to delay MPs' holidays by throwing up thousands of procedural motions seeking to block Liberal legislation until Prime Minister Justin Trudeau backs off his carbon tax. It's a move Government House Leader Karina Gould was quick to condemn, warning the Official Opposition leader's 'temper tantrum' tactics will impact Canadians.
Lawsuit accuses Sean Combs, 2 others of raping 17-year-old girl in 2003; Combs denies allegations
A woman sued the hip-hop mogul Sean 'Diddy' Combs on Wednesday, claiming he and two other men raped her 20 years ago in a New York City recording studio when she was 17.
Director behind bold and controversial TV comedies has died
Norman Lear, the writer, director and producer who revolutionized prime time television with 'All in the Family' and 'Maude,' propelling political and social turmoil into the once-insulated world of sitcoms, has died. He was 101.
Accused of improper partisan conduct, MPs expected to vote for probe into Speaker Fergus
Members of Parliament appear poised to pass a Conservative motion calling for a probe into House of Commons Speaker Greg Fergus' conduct after days of acrimony in Ottawa over what he says was unintentional participation in a partisan event.
Facebook parent sued by New Mexico alleging it has failed to shield children from predators
Facebook and Instagram fail to protect underage users from exposure to child sexual abuse material and let adults solicit pornographic imagery from them, New Mexico's attorney general alleges in a lawsuit that follows an undercover online investigation.
Regina man uses 3D printer to transform house into Clark Griswold-inspired Christmas display
A Regina man has made himself the real life Clark Griswold by going beyond the limits of a standard Christmas lights display.
McDonald's burger empire set for unprecedented growth over the next 4 years with 10,000 new stores
McDonald's expects to open nearly 10,000 restaurants over the next four years, a pace of growth that would be unprecedented even for the world's largest burger chain.
Atlantic
-
N.B. minister's comments on homeless state of emergency lack compassion: mayor
The mayor of a New Brunswick municipality that declared a state of emergency due to unprecedented levels of homelessness says he was taken aback by the dismissive comments on the matter from a provincial minister.
-
Myles Goodwyn's family issues statement following his death
The family of late April Wine lead singer Myles Goodwyn has issued a statement following his death over the weekend.
-
'Our hearts are broken': Glace Bay gift shop closing its doors after nearly 40 years in business
After nearly 40 years in business, Brenda and Mel Bryden are saying goodbye to their customers and their store.
Montreal
-
BREAKINGBREAKING Quebec will table new offer to public sector workers Wednesday afternoon
Quebec will table a new offer to public sector unions on Wednesday afternoon, the Common Front has confirmed.
-
Toddler dies after being found with serious injuries at daycare
Quebec provincial police are investigating the death of a toddler who was found injured at a home daycare near Montreal.
-
Tributes planned for 14 women killed at Polytechnique in 1989
As it does every year, Polytechnique Montréal will be paying tribute on Dec. 6 to the 14 young women who were murdered 34 years ago in 1989.
Ottawa
-
Two arrested as Ottawa police seize 40 kg of cocaine, 4 kg of crack in major drug bust
Ottawa police say two people have been arrested after a seizure of more than 40 kilograms of cocaine and four kilograms of crack cocaine in the nation's capital.
-
No fare freeze coming to Ottawa transit riders in 2024
Ottawa city council has voted against freezing OC Transpo fares for a second year in a row. Fares will go up 2.5 per cent in 2024.
-
No love for agave: LCBO finds Ottawa only Ontario region not jumping on tequila trend
A new report by the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) has found Ottawa is the only region in the province where tequila has not cracked the top spot for alcohol sales growth this year.
Toronto
-
JUST INJUST IN Off-duty cop stabbed after trying to prevent theft from Scarborough Best Buy, police say
An off-duty Toronto police officer was stabbed after he attempted to stop three suspects involved in a theft from an electronics store in Scarborough on Wednesday morning.
-
Ontario G driving test changes done without safety evaluations, auditor finds
A decision to remove certain elements of the G class driving test in Ontario was done without safety evaluations or formal approval from cabinet, the province’s auditor general says.
-
Information of hundreds of drivers trafficked in auto-theft ring involving ServiceOntario employees: police
Toronto police say the information of hundreds of drivers in the province was trafficked to suspects allegedly running an auto-theft ring involving employees at ServiceOntario.
Kitchener
-
Ohsweken man who shot at police charged with attempted murder
A man who barricaded himself inside an Ohsweken home and shot at police has now been charged with attempted murder.
-
WATCH
WATCH Kitchener man jumps into action to intervene in an alleged sexual assault
A Kitchener man is still grappling with what he witnessed on Monday morning when an alleged sexual assault happened right outside his home.
-
Local animal control service facing tough choices after 12 dogs found on roads
Hillside Kennels Animal Control near Woodstock, Ont. is desperately seeking homes for the dogs -- before it's too late.
London
-
Guilty verdict returned for man charged with dangerous driving causing death
Sarah Jones was well-known in the city as the managing editor of Business London Magazine and described as big-hearted, with a smile that would light up a room.
-
Car slams into building during Wednesday morning commute
No injuries are reported after a vehicle struck a building just west of downtown London. According to police, it happened at 6:53 a.m. at the corner of Oxford Street west and Wharncliffe Road.
-
St. Thomas, Ont. attracts another major development, will sit next to Volkswagen plant
It's a 67-acre property at the southeast corner of Highbury Avenue South and Ron McNeil Line, and it's now open for business after being snapped up by Brantford-based Vicano Construction.
Northern Ontario
-
Science North struggling with $10M in cost overruns, poor planning, auditor says
Poor planning and project management led to a $10 million increase in Science North’s Go Deeper project, Ontario’s acting auditor general says.
-
Ontario woman says she's shocked and angry after losing $80,000 in roofing scam
An Ontario woman said she was shocked and angry after handing over $80,000 to a roofing company that claimed she had problems with her roof that didn't exist.
-
Lack of official strategy affecting northern Ontario health-care: Auditor General report
The effectiveness of northern Ontario hospital care is the focus of one of the Auditor General's annual value-for-money reports released Wednesday.
Windsor
-
Two arrested in weekend double shooting
Windsor police have charged two people with attempted murder in connection to a double shooting over the weekend.
-
Council scraps 'Global Village' plans at former Grace Hospital site
It's back to the drawing board for the former Grace Hospital site as excitement around the planned “global village” has been brought to a screeching halt.
-
Inquest to be held in 2017 death of man after police standoff
The Ontario government will be holding an inquest into the death of a 34-year-old man who died while being detained by Windsor police.
Calgary
-
BREAKINGBREAKING Child, adult taken to hospital after N.E. Calgary crash
A child and an adult were taken to hospital following a crash in northeast Calgary on Wednesday afternoon.
-
Threatening voicemail leads to charges against Calgary man
Calgary police say charges have been laid against a man they say made several threatening statements to staff at a local Islamic community centre.
-
Calgary content creator recognized for sharing Inuit culture on TikTok
An Inuk content creator is one of two Calgarians being recognized in TikTok's annual report for his viral videos on Indigenous culture.
Saskatoon
-
Sask. Mountie accused of murder sometimes slept in same room as his alleged victim, wife says
In her testimony, the wife of a former Saskatchewan RCMP officer painted a picture of a turbulent relationship between the Mountie and the man he's accused of murdering.
-
Paramedics stuck waiting in hallway with patients due to Saskatoon hospital overcrowding
A Saskatoon paramedic could spend the majority of their shift standing beside a stretcher in a hospital hallway.
-
Homeless in Lloydminster evicted and fined $580 for encampment
As Saskatchewan managed to escape brutal cold temperatures going into December, some in Lloydminster are hoping for a chance to simply sleep indoors.
Edmonton
-
Man, 60, dead in Fort McKay; RCMP continue search for wanted man
A shelter-in-place order in a northern Alberta community has now become a homicide investigation.
-
Oilers coach sympathizes with Broberg's 'frustration' but says he's still the 7th defenceman
Kris Knoblauch heaped praise upon the youngest Oilers defenceman Wednesday but said Philip Broberg isn't likely to get more playing time unless there's an injury.
-
What you need to know about Big Air's return to Edmonton this weekend
Athletes got a chance to check out the slope at Commonwealth Stadium Wednesday ahead of the Big Air World Cup.
Vancouver
-
Mayor Ken Sim moving forward with plan to abolish Vancouver's park board
Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim is moving to abolish the city's park board – the only elected body of its kind in Canada.
-
B.C. chief coroner Lisa Lapointe retiring, saddened by overdose crisis policy
British Columbia's Chief Coroner Lisa Lapointe has announced she is leaving her post after 13 years, deeply saddened the province has been unable to reduce the "tragic impacts" of toxic drugs on thousands of people.
-
1 dead after crash sends car over embankment in Langley, RCMP say
A woman is dead after a serious collision in Langley Tuesday night.
