defence wants suspect in horrific and deadly boxing day crash to be examined by psychiatrist
'there are definitely concerns (psychiatric and psychological),' said defence counsel
2 minute read
emergency crews work at the scene of a multi-vehicle collision at the intersection of macleod trail and southland drive in calgary on thursday, dec. 26, 2024. multiple patients were taken to hospital and a nine-year-old girl was killed.
brent calver/postmedia
defence lawyers for the suspect in a deadly boxing day crash that killed a nine-year-old girl have concerns about his mental health, court heard wednesday.
defence counsel sam taylor, appearing for lead lawyer rebecca snukal, asked that duane arlen john nepoose’s case be adjourned to friday so he can be seen by a court psychiatrist.
“he has requested to see the doctor, so i’m going to ask the matter return here on friday,” taylor told justice jamie williams.
“there are definitely concerns (psychiatric and psychological),” taylor told the calgary court of justice judge.
nepoose, 30, who appeared remotely via video link from the calgary remand centre, was making his first court of justice appearance on multiple charges relating to a dec. 26 robbery of a millrise drugstore and a subsequent five-vehicle pileup at the intersection of macleod trail and southland drive, which took the life of victoria desjardins.
nepoose faces multiple traffic safety act charges plus allegations of dangerous driving causing death and three of dangerous driving causing bodily harm, in connection with the collision that occurred shortly before 10 a.m.
he is also accused of assaulting a pharmacist and stealing his 2015 dodge caravan.
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at the request of crown prosecutor carolyn ayr, williams imposed a no-contact order on nepoose in connection with that individual.
taylor said the defence wished to have a psychiatrist do a cursory examination of nepoose at the calgary courts centre to determine if a 30-day assessment is warranted to determine his fitness to stand trial.
“we’d like to have an initial assessment before we determine whether a further 30-day assessment is warranted,” he said.
williams ordered nepoose be brought to court in person on friday so he can be interviewed by a psychiatrist, a routine procedure when issues of mental health are raised.
nepoose did not address court other than to confirm to taylor that he could see and hear the proceedings.
a gofundme page has been set up for the reitmeier-desjardins family. mother amanda and daughter madison, 12, were in hospital after being involved in a horrific five-vehicle collision in calgary on boxing day, while daughter victoria, 9, was killed in the crash.
via gofundme
after the crash, the family of the dead girl put out a statement detailing their grief.
“we are absolutely crushed by the loss of our daughter, victoria desjardins, who was tragically taken from us, just one day after christmas,” the reitmeier-desjardins family said in the statement released on their behalf by the calgary police service.
“thursday morning (dec. 26) started out as any other, and within a few short hours, our lives have been irreparably changed,” the family said. “victoria was loved by so many, and her loss has left a void in our hearts that can never be filled. we are completely overwhelmed with grief and utterly devastated that our family will forever be incomplete.”
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to help the family with funeral expenses, a gofundme page has been set up by a family friend.
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