A civil lawsuit against the City of Regina over a transit bus accident that killed a woman was in court Tuesday, nearly five years after the incident happened.
On February 15, 2013 Barbara Supynuk was standing near a bus stop on 11th Avenue near Hamilton Street, when a Regina Transit bus 548 slid into a pole and knocked it over, hitting Supynuk on the head.
Supynuk, 50, suffered a skull fracture, facial fractures, broken ribs and a lacerated spleen. She died in hospital in March 2013.
A report from the Coroner’s Office revealed that there was some ice on 11th Avenue on the day of the crash. The driver attempted to stop the bus, but failed to pump the brakes and the wheels locked.
An SGI report indicated that a rear brake on the bus had failed, causing the bus to veer to the right. The report also said police noted the same brake failed again while the bus was been driven onto a flatbed truck following the crash. All four brakes were worn beyond permissible limit.
In 2014, the family of Barbara Supynuk took legal action against the city seeking punitive damages.
A trial for the civil case has been set for early April. On Tuesday, the city’s lawyer argued for the case to be stayed, arguing whether punitive damages are available through the Saskatchewan Automobile Accident Insurance Act.
The judge says he will reserve his decision, and bring it back to court at a later date.
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