PORT HAWKESBURY: A man charged after a fatal motor vehicle collision will return to court next month where he is expected to enter a plea on four charges.
Scott Lundrigan was set to appear in Port Hawkesbury Supreme Court on March 20 to answer to charges of impaired operation of a motor vehicle causing the death of James Poirier, impaired operation of a motor vehicle causing bodily harm, having a blood alcohol concentration above the legal limit causing an accident that resulted in bodily harm, and operating a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol exceeding the legal limit causing an accident that resulted in death.
The matter was held over to Supreme Court until April 3. He originally faced six charges, but two of them were dismissed during the preliminary inquiry. Crown Attorney Thomas Kayter said he expects Lundrigan to enter a plea on April 3.
Lundrigan was charged in relation to an incident on October 23, 2015, when a truck he was driving went off the road and struck a telephone pole in the Fox Lane area of Route 19.
James Poirier died in the crash, and a second 19-year-old was taken to hospital with serious but non-life threatening injuries.
“It’s very difficult on our family to have this drug out so long,” said Debbie Long, Poirier’s mother.
“It will be 17 months since James was killed.”
Long also said the basketball tournament honouring Poirier’s memory is set to take place this weekend (March 25-26).
“The donations have been completely over the top,” she said. “I really want to concentrate on this weekend as a celebration of James’s life. It’s more than a tournament. I can’t even tell you how big this is. It’s unbelievable. It’s been phenomenal, the support.”