SUNDRE - An Innisfail man charged following a two-vehicle collision on Highway 27 just east of Sundre in August 2020 has been convicted of dangerous driving causing bodily harm.
Jeremy Steven Meissner was convicted in Didsbury provincial court on April 3 by Justice P. Bailey following a trial in January.
The crash occurred at about 1 p.m. on Aug. 6 when a westbound 2009 pickup truck driven by Meissner crossed over the centre line and struck an eastbound 1963 car, say police.
The collision caused the car to spin around and strike a westbound 2018 pickup truck that was unable to avoid the collision.
The driver of the car, a 41-year-old Airdrie man identified at Travis Hanna, suffered serious, life-threatening injuries requiring several surgeries.
The three occupants of the 2018 pickup truck were not injured.
Section 320.13(2) of the Criminal Code reads: “Everyone commits an offence who operates a conveyance in a manner that, having regard to all of the circumstances, is dangerous to the public and, as a result, causes bodily harm to another person.”
Meissner was fatigued by lack of sleep at the time of the crash, his lawyer Jeremy Newton told the Albertan following Monday’s court appearance.
The Crown withdrew a number of other charges against the accused, including impaired operation of a conveyance causing bodily harm while impaired by drug and/or alcohol.
Justice Bailey ordered a forensic assessment outpatient service report (FAOS) to be completed on Meissner before the matter comes back to court on June 5 to set a date for sentencing.
The sentencing date for Meissner will likely be sometime in July, said Newton.
