Man charged in runaway delivery van crash that killed Surrey mother of 2

RCMP have announced charges in a tragic runaway vehicle incident that left a Surrey, B.C., mother of two dead.

The collision happened on Dec. 15, 2020, near 144 Street and 61A Avenue, when an unoccupied delivery van rolled into traffic and struck 48-year-old Paramjit Masutta, who was walking on a sidewalk with her twin eight-year-old girls.

At the time, witnesses told Global News that the mother died a hero, shoving her kids out of the way with her last action before being struck.

2:15 Community comes together to support Surrey family that loses mother in tragic accident

“It’s just so shocking — she was just there (they were) all holding hands,” witness Jerry Brarr said at the time. “She had probably three or four seconds to react. It was that fast.”

On Tuesday, Surrey RCMP said Jeo Kurian, 25, had been charged with dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing death.

“This was a tragic and devastating loss for the victim’s family, and has also impacted many people within our community,” RCMP Criminal Collision Investigation Team Sgt. Tom Boyce said in a media release.

“Our team has remained committed to collecting all evidence required throughout this complex investigation, in order to bring this matter before the courts.”

0:40 Civil suit filed on behalf of woman killed by runaway delivery van

Last year, Masutta’s family filed a civil suit against Amazon, Damy Logistics, or Foss National Leasing and Kurian alleging the delivery van had been parked illegally and without its emergency brake.

A GoFundMe campaign for the family ultimately raised more than $100,000 in the wake of the tragedy.

Kurian is due in court later this month.