Trucker who killed former Olympic figure skater Alexandra Paul in crash sentenced to nearly 3 years in prison
The truck driver who caused a fatal multi-car crash that killed world-renowned Canadian figure skater and Olympian Alexandra Paul was sentenced to two and a half years in prison on Wednesday.Sukhwinder Sidhu was handed a seven-year driving ban in addition to the light sentence in connection with the deadly Aug.
22, 2023, wreck in Melancthon Township, 70 miles north of Toronto, the CBC reported.In February, Sidu pleaded guilty in an Ontario court to dangerous driving causing death and dangerous driving causing bodily harm.Paul and her 10-month-old son, Charlie, were among those in one of seven vehicles struck when Sidhu’s out-of-control truck plowed through a construction zone at 66 mph — nearly double the posted 37 mph limit.Paul was pronounced dead at the scene.Her infant son miraculously survived the crash and was rushed to a nearby children’s hospital with a broken leg and non-life-threatening injuries.
Multiple other people were also injured.Sidhu had been working for more than 26 hours — at least 16 of them spent behind the wheel — at the time of the deadly crash, the outlet reported.The judge also noted that Sidhu had multiple prior speeding violations before the wreck.Ahead of sentencing, Paul’s husband and longtime figure skating partner, Mitchell Islam, recalled the horrifying moment he learned his wife had been killed.
“When the officer told me Alex was gone, it was crippling fog and numbness.I remember buckling into his arms,” Islam told the court in his victim impact statement.Paul’s father, Gordon Paul, also gave a tearful statement, explaining that his daughter’s death had left him completely shattered.“I didn’t get a chance to say goodbye,” he said.
“I couldn’t give her another hug.She was just gone.”Her heartbroken father also told the court his daughter had “unlimited possibilities” ahead of her and was building her career as a lawyer after leaving figure skating in 2016 when she was killed.Sidhu apologized ...