Dramatic dashcam video released in B.C. provincial court on Thursday shows the moments before an SUV struck 11-year old Leila Bui on Dec. 20, 2017.
The video captures the events at 8 a.m. on Monday morning, Dec. 20, 2017, on Ash Road in Saanich.
A vehicle driven by witness Julia Fellman had a dashcam, showing what is happening on the road behind her. A black 2005 Mercedes SUV driven by Tenessa Nikirk passes the vehicle behind Fellman, and then passes her and out of view.
Nikirk faces one count of dangerous driving causing bodily harm in the Dec. 20 crash in a crosswalk at Ash Road and Torquay Drive.
Leila Bui was on her way to school when she was struck by an SUV allegedly driven by Nikirk. Bui suffered catastrophic injuries including severe brain damage, a fractured neck and lacerated spleen. The Crown is alleging Nikirk sent 11 text messages and received 13 texts in the 15 minutes before the crash.
In the dashcam video shown in court, Fellman is driving the posted speed of 50 kilometres an hour. An expert witness testified in court Nikirk’s speed to be 90 kilometres an hour while passing Fellman.
The dashcam video view switches to the front of Fellman’s vehicle as the Mercedes blows by her accelerating up Ash Road.
A pedestrian walks by Fellman’s vehicle on her right and a BC Transit bus drives westbound past her. At 8 a.m. in the morning, traffic was building up on the road.
As Fellman drives to the top of Ash Road, a large “X” on the road indicates a crosswalk ahead. In the distance, Nikirk’s black Mercedes is stopped in the crosswalk at the top of the hill. Cars are also stopped, and people are running across the road. An expert testified that Nikirk struck 11-year old Bui in the crosswalk at Ash Road and Torquay Drive, flinging the girl’s body at least 25 metres.
Mary Griffin
