A man who earlier pleaded guilty to his role in a fatal 2019 crash successfully lobbied the court to reverse that admission.
Ronald William Thomson, 79, will now have to stand trial for dangerous driving causing death related to an Aug. 13, 2019 crash in Kelowna that killed Devon Marock, 30, from Burnaby, B.C. A trial will be scheduled at a later date.
Thomson initially pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing death, a criminal code charge, Nov. 2, 2020 but in the Monday hearing claimed that he didn’t understand what was happening and his lawyer never explained it.
In particular, he thought he was pleading guilty to driving without due care and attention and failing to obey a traffic control signal, both Motor Vehicle Act infractions. In reality, the MVA charges were stayed when the guilty plea was entered for the criminal charge.
Thomson told the court his advanced age was the problem and he doesn’t remember the details of what was discussed with his previous lawyer.
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He also argued that his previous lawyer had not informed him of the financial consequences of entering a guilty plea, which would include ICBC denying him coverage if he is found guilty of dangerous driving causing death.
It wasn’t until he was supposed to be sentenced in June 2021 that he realized the full scope of what had transpired.
Crown counsel disagreed with this notion. Thomson’s previous lawyer Colby Johnson stated that he had outlined the charge, and while he had a couple of conversations regarding insurance and coverage but he didn’t have a conversation on breach of insurance.
Marock’s family came to Kelowna to witness court proceedings and it clearly took a toll.
Marock’s mother, father and brother could be heard crying at times as Thomson spoke to the court. Marock’s mother eventually collapsed and had to be taken to hospital.
After the proceedings, the family said they just wanted the court process to be over so they can get some sort of closure.
Thomson is accused of running a red light in his Cadillac SUV and T-boning Marock’s 2006 Honda Accord, just before 1 a.m. Aug. 13, 2019.
In the immediate aftermath, Kelowna RCMP sent out a press release saying the collision occurred at Harvey Avenue and Cooper Road, and involved an eastbound Cadillac SUV on Harvey and a northbound Honda Accord on Cooper.
Police said at the time, the driver of the Honda, Marock, was taken to hospital and pronounced dead. Thomson was reported to have sustained minor injuries. Alcohol was not considered a factor.
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