Austin Deir pleads guilty to dangerous driving charges in relation to fatal TCH collision

CBC News

· Posted: Apr 17, 2025 2:39 PM EDT | Last Updated: 1 infinitesimal ago

The lawsuit against a Mount Pearl antheral accused of causing the decease of 2 women — Erin Pretty and Haley Keating — successful a January 2024 road clang took a crook connected Thursday erstwhile Austin Deir entered blameworthy pleas during an quality astatine provincial tribunal successful Clarenville.

Five days had been acceptable speech for a preliminary proceeding successful a lawsuit that has sent daze waves passim Trinity and Placentia Bays, but Deir waived his close to that proceeding during an quality connected April 10.

The substance was backmost successful tribunal connected Thursday earlier Judge Andrew Brown, astatine which clip Deir, who appeared via video league alongside his lawyer Rosellen Sullivan, pleaded blameworthy to 2 charges of unsafe driving causing death.

Crown lawyer Allison Manning besides announced that 2 charges of impaired driving causing decease were being conditionally withdrawn.

Hearings are scheduled for Aug. 20 and Sept. 5 truthful Crown and defence lawyers tin reason the facts nether which Deir volition beryllium sentenced connected Oct. 31.

• Austin Deir, charged with causing the decease of 2 women, elects to beryllium tried successful Supreme Court

Deir is 72 years-of-age and a seasoned labour leader.

He was charged pursuing a two-vehicle collision connected the day of Sunday, Jan. 21, 2024 connected a agelong of the Trans-Canada Highway adjacent Arnold's Cove. Driving conditions were bully astatine the time.

Deir was driving westbound successful a Chevrolet Equinox SUV, which collided head-on with a smaller eastbound Hyundai rider car.

Pretty died astatine the scene. Keating died successful infirmary a week later. Both women were 22 years old. Keating was from Long Harbour, portion Pretty was from Dildo.

Deir was pulled from his burning conveyance by passersby, and constabulary said aboriginal that helium "showed signs of impairment."

Download our free CBC News app to motion up for propulsion alerts for CBC Newfoundland and Labrador. Sign up for our daily headlines newsletter here. Click here to sojourn our landing page.