A man has now been charged with several offences in relation to the 2022 hit-and-run that resulted in the death of Gurpreet Sangha, and serious injuries to another woman.
On September 2, 2022, around 11:25 p.m., a man driving a white pick up truck around the corner of Pemberton Avenue and Cleveland Avenue lost control. The truck flipped over the sidewalk, and hit two women sitting at the bus stop. Both women were pinned under the overturned vehicle, bystanders rushed in to assist, lifting the vehicle off the women and helping the driver out. While bystanders were tending to the injured women, the driver ran from the scene before police arrived.
On September 16, 2022, Gurpreet Sangha, 44, died in hospital as a result of the injuries sustained from the incident. The second woman, was released from hospital with life-altering injuries.
On November 16, 2023, the Sea to Sky General Investigation Section (GIS) arrested suspect John Cernos. The following six charges were approved by the BC Prosecution Service: impaired operation causing death; failure to stop after an accident causing death; dangerous operation causing death; impaired operation causing bodily harm; failure to stop after an accident causing bodily harm; and dangerous operation causing bodily harm.
Inspector Robert Dykstra, Officer in Charge for the Sea to Sky RCMP, said: “We need justice for our sisters and we are happy with the RCMP and the Investigative Team for their support through this time. We hope this does not happen to anyone else in the community and that no one has to suffer like we did says a representative for the victims’ families. I want to express my deepest gratitude to the families for their unwavering support throughout this difficult period and for their strength that has been a guiding light for our investigators throughout the investigation. I also want to acknowledge the tireless efforts of the Sea to Sky RCMP General Investigation Section and other police units that came together. Their commitment over the past 14 months is why several charges have now been laid related to this tragic incident and we can only hope that this will bring some much-needed closure to the families and the community.”
