MOUNTAIN VIEW COUNTY — A trial date has been set early next year for a Sundre man facing charges over the death of another resident from the same town.
Police previously reported that the accused had allegedly reversed a pickup truck over the victim, also from Sundre, at a rural residence before proceeding to then flee the scene.
In an early March press statement, the Sundre RCMP department reported that police had responded at about 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 1 to a call about a fatality involving a motor vehicle at a rural residence on Range Road 43.
“The preliminary investigation indicates that an interaction occurred between two adult males resulting in the suspect striking the victim with a pickup truck while it operated in reverse,” reads a portion of the press statement that was issued March 3.
“The pickup truck then fled the scene.”
While Emergency Medical Services administered life-saving measures, the victim, who has officially been identified as Sundre resident Brendan Jeffrey McDonald, 34, was declared deceased at the scene, police said.
“The suspect and the involved pickup truck were located at a residence in Sundre a short time later,” police said, adding, “The suspect was arrested without incident.”
The Alberta RCMP Major Crimes Unit took over the investigation with assistance from the RCMP Collision Analyst as well as the Forensic Identification Section.
An autopsy had been ordered by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Calgary, police said at the time.
Jason Kelly Burns, 29 at the time of arrest, was subsequently charged with dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing death, failure to remain at the scene of collision causing death, and driving while prohibited.
Following a judicial hearing, Burns did not speak to bail and was remanded.
As these matters are now before the courts, police said they would not be providing any further information about the incident.
According to information received on June 23 by Alberta Court Checks in response to a media inquiry, a trial date for Burns in Calgary court has been set for Feb. 13-17, 2023.
