Jaskirat Sidhu, the 'Humboldt Driver,' speaks out
CTV
W5 launches its 56th season with an exclusive interview with Jaskirat Sidhu and his wife Tanvir Mann as they reveal their deep grief over the Humboldt tragedy and their hopes that they will be allowed to stay in Canada.
The 32-year-old wears a blue pullover as he is led into a small room and sits down in front of the camera. He pulls off his facemask and takes a deep breath before beginning his first ever television interview. The guard that led him to his seat and the metal bars on the windows offer the only clues that the interview is conducted from inside a prison.
Over the course of an hour and a half, Sidhu answers most questions with an apology first: "I am so sorry for the pain I have caused because it was my mistake. And that pain I regret every day... seeing them every day in my dreams… losing their kids, losing their life partner, losing their brother and sister. And that happened because of me."
On April 6, 2018, Sidhu was tasked with transporting a giant load of peat moss on tandem trailers, across Saskatchewan on unfamiliar rural roads. He had challenges from the beginning. First, his trailers got stuck in the snow and he needed to find a tow. Then his tarps came loose and he feared losing his load, and finally, at 5 p.m. while he was checking his rear view mirror to see if his ties were solid, he missed a stop sign. A chartered bus, carrying the Humboldt Broncos hockey club, was approaching the intersection and couldn't stop in time. The two vehicles collided, killing 16 people and injuring 13 others on the bus. Canada plunged into mourning.
After weeks of investigating, the RCMP charged Sidhu with 16 counts of dangerous driving causing death and 13 counts of dangerous driving causing bodily harm. He pleaded guilty to every single charge. He didn't offer a defence. He didn't try to plea bargain.
