Forensic collision analyst testifies at Beauclair trial

He pointed-out ‘a series of warning signs and rumble strips’ southbound on Highway 808 (the vehicle’s direction of travel), indicating an upcoming four-way stop at the junction of Highway 595.

“A driver would have sufficient distance to stop a vehicle if the hazard was observed at the rumble strip sign,” exclaimed Molnar. “There were numerous advanced warnings, rumble strips, signage. During this period, the driver would have between 10.4 and 14.6 seconds to react.”

Molnar said that according to the information taken from its electronic data recorder, Beauclair’s vehicle was travelling 140 km/h in the seconds leading up to the crash.

He says Highway 808 turns into a gravel surface south of Highway 595 and becomes Range Road 261 at that point.

“This particular vehicle model (2008 Pontiac Grand Prix) has eight seconds of pre-crash data,” explained Molnar. “There was no evidence of any breaking along 808 that I was able to observe. The tire marks I observed were on a gravel surface.”

Molnar told court the tire marks on Range Road 261 began to separate about 48 metres south of Highway 595 and started to rotate counterclockwise, showing the vehicle lost control and rolled, hitting the east side ditch, damaging a barbed-wire fence and downing a utility pole in the process.

He says the crash resulted in all three occupants of the backseat being ejected from the vehicle, fatally injuring two of them.

“Nobody seated in that vehicle was properly wearing their seatbelt,” he noted.

Molnar concluded his investigation found no mechanical defects with the vehicle and he did not consider roadway engineering or environmental conditions that night to be factors in the crash.

Beauclair faces four counts in the July 1, 2016 incident, including two of dangerous driving causing death and two of dangerous driving causing bodily harm.

The collision claimed the lives of 16-year-old Ashleigh Smith of Springbrook and 18-year-old John Dolliver of Penhold.

The trial continues Thursday.

by Sheldon Spackman

Forensic collision analyst testifies at Beauclair trial

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