Gentles ordered to stand trial

A man charged with dangerous driving causing death in Williams Lake has been ordered to stand trial in Supreme Court.

Martin Gentles has been ordered to stand trial in B.C. Supreme Court, Crown spokesperson Neil MacKenzie said. An arrangement hearing is scheduled for Nov. 18 to set the dates of the trial.

Gentles is charged with dangerous driving causing death, dangerous driving causing bodily harm, impaired driving causing death, causing an accident resulting in death, impaired driving causing bodily harm, causing an accident resulting in bodily harm, and failure to stop at the scene of an accident.

The charges stem from an incident that occurred on April 22, 2012 on Carson Drive in Williams Lake where Rayel MacDonald was killed and her friend Alysha Mullet was seriously injured.

The order comes after a three-day preliminary inquiry, held in Williams Lake Provincial Court between Oct. 7 to Oct. 9, where several witnesses, including both RCMP and civilian, were interviewed by Crown and defence counsels in front of presiding Justice Victor Galbraith.

At the onset of the trial, a publication ban was put in place.

While Gentles has not entered a plea, he has selected to be tried by judge alone, MacKenzie said.

 

Williams Lake Tribune