The man charged in the hit and run death of two Surrey seniors in July 2008 pleaded guilty this week to another driving offence that happened eight months later.
Ravinder Singh Binning appeared in Surrey Provincial Court Tuesday facing charges of flight from a police officer, impaired driving and obstruction of a police officer.
He pleaded guilty to all three counts.
The March 15, 2009 incident occurred just months after another, fatal crash for which Binning stands accused, that caused the deaths of Dilbag Singh Badh, 61, and his 60-year-old wife, Bakhshish Kaur Badh.
On July 12, 2008 a speeding car, struck another, then rear-ended a vehicle carrying the Badh family, including Dillbag, Bakhshish and their daughters, Rupi and Varinder.
They were returning home from a wedding rehearsal for Rupi, who was at the wheel.
Dilbag and Bakhshish died at the scene.
Varinder was sent to hospital with fractures and internal injuries. Rupi’s injuries were less extensive, but still serious.
Two years after the crash, Binning was charged in July 2010 with two counts of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing death, one count of dangerous operation of a vehicle causing bodily harm and one count of failure to stop at the scene of an accident.
Since then, the Badh family has fought for the creation of a vehicular-homicide law. Vehicular-homicide laws exist in the U.S., but not in Canada.
Varinder Badh was at the trial Tuesday (Dec. 6), and said although it was a separate incident from the one that killed her parents, there was satisfaction in hearing his plea.
“He finally has admitted guilt…hopefully – now acknowledging how his behaviour can and has harmed others,” Badh said.
She pursued him as he left the courtroom.
“Are you a coward?” she asked as Binning walked away. “Be a man. You have no idea of the grief you have caused.”
She said later that confronting him felt like an important step.
“We wanted to make sure that he knew we weren’t going anywhere and that we were going to continue advocating for this,” Badh said. “His failure of acknowledgement is the frustration.”
Binning is back before the court Dec. 16 for sentencing for the 2009 incident.
