Witnesses testify about deadly Highway 12 crash in July 2020

Witnesses to a deadly collision on Highway 12 testified Tuesday in the trial of Sigfrid Stahn, a 71-year-old Georgian Bay Township man accused of driving drunk and causing the crash that claimed the life of a 77-year-old Midland man on July 4, 2020.

A woman driving with her daughter at the time of the crash testified she saw a pickup truck cross the double yellow lines into the westbound lanes to pass another vehicle before it crashed head-on with the victim's Mercedes convertible, sending it airborne.

Other witnesses told the court they were shocked to see the truck driving into oncoming traffic and that the victim had little time to avoid the collision.

The photos presented in the Barrie courtroom Tuesday showed the aftermath of the crash, with both vehicles' front ends crushed and debris littering the roadway.

One officer said the victim likely had very little time to react to Stahn's oncoming truck, calling it very last minute, with the pickup coming around the corner at a curve along Highway 12.

The Crown alleges that Guenter Naumann suffered significant internal injuries before dying in the hospital a week after the crash.

Stahn is charged with impaired driving causing death and dangerous driving causing death.

The trial is scheduled to resume on Wednesday.

The allegations against the accused have not been proven in court.