A glimpse into Michael Hickey's emotional state after his tractor-trailer flipped on Aug. 7, 2002, was heard during his trial on Wednesday, when the OPP investigating officer of the collision, Graham Hunt, took the stand.
Hunt interacted with Hickey at the scene of the deadly crash on Highway 69, near the Killarney turnoff, that killed Kelly Ann Henderson and her twin 12-year-old sons, Corbin and Jordin Sauve.
“He was very quiet,” Hunt told the court.
In a witness statement prepared by Hunt, Hickey was described as “quiet, solemn and obviously in emotional shock.”
Before Hunt's testimony, Alan Billing, a professional engineer who studied the crash, was cross-examined by the defence.
Of the three sets of tire marks studied by Billing, he could only say that two were definitely from the tractor-trailer driven by Hickey.
The first set of tire marks was “more likely than not” from Hickey's transport, Billing said.
The engineer also agreed that the Highway 69 curve, where the accident took place, is “tight,” although designed within Ontario highway guidelines and specifications.
The Crown's last witness, Nicholas MacIntyre, also took the stand. The witness, a driving safety instructor with Manitoulin Transport, said that if drivers of commercial vehicles check their mirrors regularly, they should be able to tell if there is any instability with their trailer.
MacIntyre also went over some defects to watch out for during a pre-trip inspection - a mandatory check completed every 24 hours on a commercial vehicle, such as looseness or wear on U-bolts, and cracks or bulges on air bag suspensions.
Loose U-bolts, such as the ones said to be on the middle axle of Hickey's tractor-trailer, as described by other witnesses, would affect the handling of the vehicle, said MacIntyre. If a driver sees wear on or near these bolts during a pre-trip inspection, the vehicle is required to be put out of service.
MacIntyre testified that the wheels and rims on the middle axle of the trailer were different than those on the first and last axle.
“This trailer, this configuration, is something I've never seen before,” he said.
The defence will begin presenting its case Thursday, with the trial expected to conclude by the end of the week.
