A preliminary inquiry has been set for a Lethbridge man accused of impaired driving in a crash that a killed former Piikani band councillor.
Douglas Bagnall appeared by closed circuit television (CCTV) in a Lethbrige courtroom Wednesday.
Bagnall is facing a handful of charges, including impaired driving causing death after a head-on collision on Highway 3 on June 25, 2018. The crash claimed the life of Barney Provost.
Bagnall was allegedly driving the wrong way down the highway at the time, but was not arrested until November of that year.
A forensic assessment was been conducted and Bagnall has been found fit to stand trial. Family members of Provost attended the court proceedings and said they are losing faith in the justice system.
“This process has given us very little hope of any kind of closure and so it is extremely, extremely frustrating and disheartening because our trust in the Canadian justice system continues to deteriorate with the way that this case has been drawn out,” said Ryan Crosschild, a friend of the Provost family.
Bagnall has elected a judge-alone Court of Queen’s Bench trial with a preliminary inquiry, which will determine if there is enough evidence to proceed to trial. The inquiry has been set for one day on Sept. 13.