The man behind the wheel in a hit-and-run crash that killed three young Nigerian men and injured a fourth in Kamloops, B.C., two years ago has been sentenced to three years in prison.
Reid McKnight, a former Canadian Armed Forces reservist, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing death and failing to remain at the scene of a crash.
He was also handed a three-year driving ban and a 10-year firearm ban.
The collision happened around 1:40 a.m. on Nov. 3, 2019, at 1st Avenue and Battle Street.
Police arrived to find four victims in a Dodge Charger, while the driver of the pickup that had hit them had fled.
Daniel Okocha, 22 and Feyisola (David) Adebowale, 27, died at the scene, while Oluwatosin (Kelvin) Adeojo, 30, died more than a week later in hospital. A fourth man suffered critical injuries.
All four victims were students or alumni of the Thompson Rivers University international program.
Police previously said the truck driver had sped through a stop sign.
“This was an extremely tragic event for the Kamloops community, particularly for the student body at TRU and its Nigerian population,” Kamloops RCMP Supt. Sydney Lecky said in a media release.
“Although we know nothing can undo what’s been lost with the lives of these men, or repair the sorrow and heartache suffered as a result, we hope today’s outcome will bring some solace to the victims’ families, friends, and community.”
McKnight had served as a member of the Rocky Mountain Rangers, a unit of reserve infantry soldiers within 39 Canadian Brigade Group.
When he joined the CAF as a soldier in 2007, he served with the 1st Battalion of Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry in Edmonton, a combat unit equipped with light armoured vehicles. He served in Afghanistan between September 2009 and May 2010.
Police said the four young victims were using a designated driver to get home after an evening out.
— with files from Kirsten Robinson