Driver admits guilt for crash that killed two cyclists on Kenaston

A Winnipeg man has admitted responsibility for a drunk driving crash that killed two cyclists on Kenaston Boulevard last summer.

Kuldeep Singh Gill pleaded guilty in court Friday to two counts of impaired driving causing death and two counts of failing to stop at the scene of a collision.

Gill was arrested Sept. 13 after a high-speed crash that killed 25-year-old Kerry Ashley Bonner and her common-law partner, 31-year-old Egor Popov. The couple had a young child.

Gill, who has permanent resident status in Canada, sat beside a Punjabi interpreter as he responded in a barely audible voice to a series of questions by defence lawyer Jesse Brar in which he confirmed he was aware of the consequences of his guilty pleas.

The 46-year-old, who remains free on bail, will be sentenced at a later date following the completion of a court-ordered pre-sentence report.

Brar said Gill faces a “significant” penitentiary sentence and deportation proceedings.

Court was told Gill had consumed an “unknown amount” of alcohol while driving a Dodge Ram pickup truck along Kenaston Boulevard. Witnesses had already called police to report the vehicle driving erratically when Gill veered around slower moving traffic and onto the paved shoulder at the intersection of Enterprise Drive.

Gill was still driving on the paved shoulder when he crashed into Bonner and Popov on their bicycles at approximately 9:15 p.m.

Popov was pronounced dead at the scene while Bonner died in hospital a short time later.

Gill, who had abandoned his vehicle and ran away, was arrested shortly before 11 p.m. as he walked in the area of Kenaston Boulevard and Scurfield Boulevard.

“Police immediately observed indicia of intoxication” Crown attorney Mike Himmelman told court, reading from an agreed statement of facts.

Gill provided a breath sample and his blood-alcohol level was estimated to be as high as .137 at the time of the collision. Criminal charges are triggered for drivers with a blood alcohol level of .08 or higher.

Police analyzed location data on Gill’s phone, which showed he had been in the vicinity of a Keewatin Street Liquor Mart earlier that afternoon. A review of security video at the store confirmed Gill had bought a bottle of 5-Star whiskey at the store.

“A partially consumed bottle of the same whiskey was located post-collision in (Gill’s) vehicle’s centre console,” Himmelman said.

“A partially consumed bottle of the same whiskey was located post-collision in (Gill’s) vehicle’s centre console.”

An analysis of the truck’s crash data revealed Gill had been driving 131 km/h at the point of impact, which is 51 kilometres over the posted speed limit.

Following the deaths, Bike Winnipeg released a statement in which it said the site of the crash isn’t safe.

“This devastating incident highlights a long-standing and dangerous reality: Kenaston Boulevard between Sterling Lyon and McGillivray Boulevard lacks safe infrastructure for people walking and cycling, forcing vulnerable road users onto an unprotected shoulder.”

A GoFundMe campaign raised more than $10,000 to help the Popov family pay for funeral expenses.

The tragedy wasn’t Gill’s first arrest for impaired driving. In July 2016, Gill was driving a Jeep Wrangler at a high speed in a residential area when he drove onto a boulevard, struck a school zone sign and crashed into a tree before coming to a stop on a resident’s front lawn.

Gill tried to run away, but was followed by witnesses until police arrived and arrested him. He later pleaded guilty to driving over .08 and was fined $1,500 and prohibited from driving for one year.

In 2020, Gill was convicted of failing to comply with licence restrictions after driving without a licence and driving while suspended.

dean.pritchard@freepress.mb.ca