The trial for a man accused in the hit-and-run death of two women in Coquitlam in 2011 got underway today.
The alleged driver, Cory Sater, is facing 10 charges, including two counts each of dangerous driving causing death, impaired driving causing death, and causing an accident resulting in death. Sater is a convicted criminal who was on probation at the time of the incident.
Sater plead “not guilty” to all of the counts today.
The Crown contends he drank six double rye-and-cokes and two “Jager Bombs” before heading out in his vehicle that night.
Lorraine Cruz and her boyfriend had pulled over on the Lougheed Highway on February 19 after their vehicle had hit a median.
Charlene Reaveley and her husband Dan stopped to help them.
As they stood there at the side of the road an alleged drunk driver hit Reaveley and Cruz and then took off.
Both women were killed instantly and Cruz’s boyfriend, Paulo Calimahin, was seriously injured.
There were concerns the case may get thrown out due to a huge court backlog.
Once cases reach a ‘red zone’, which is between a year and 18 months old, they run the risk of being tossed out to try and clear some of the backlog.
Today in court, a chilling 9-1-1 call was played. The audio captures the exact moment when the two women were struck.
The trial is expected to last about two weeks.
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