Surrey, B.C. — A driver involved in a street race gone wrong in Surrey, B.C., will spend time in jail for a crash that killed his friend.
Varun Saini, 25, has been sentenced to six months minus one day behind bars. He’s also been handed two years of probation, a five-year driving ban, and 75 hours of community service.
Saini pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing death last year in connection with the September 2019 crash.
He was driving his Ford Mustang westbound on Nordel Way when he engaged in a street race with the driver of a Chevrolet Camaro. Saini’s car clipped the Camaro and crashed into a hydro pole, killing his passenger, Abhishek Kakkar. The Mustang was travelling approximately double the 50 km/h speed limit when it hit the pole. Saini and Kakkar were friends and roommates who were Indian citizens in B.C. on work permits.
B.C. Provincial Court Judge Satinder Sidhu read out a victim impact statement from Kakkar’s wife, who said the crash took away her best friend and soulmate. Sidhu outlined the psychiatric assessment conducted on Saini, which found the man to be deeply remorseful about his actions and the resulting death of his friend. It also suggested Saini would be a low risk to reoffend.
Crown counsel was calling for a nine-month jail term, while Saini’s lawyer asked for the minimum three-month sentence. Judge Sidhu said nine months would not be an unreasonable sentence, but decided on a sentence less than six months to give Saini a chance at avoiding deportation.
If he wishes, Saini can apply to stay in Canada on compassionate or humanitarian grounds under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, which would not be an option if he was sentenced to six months or more behind bars. The judge noted Saini’s clean criminal record and stable employment history since the crash as factors in offering the lenience.
“Whether it’s three months, six months, or two years, it’s time you pay out of your life and spend in jail,” said Gagan Nahal, Saini’s lawyer. “People will be deterred by this decision today, and hopefully people do think about their actions when they’re operating a motor vehicle.”
Nahal added it’s highly unlikely Saini will be permitted to stay in Canada. He expects his client, along with his wife and child, will be sent back to India.
Judge Sidhu also noted Saini has emphatically denied being involved in a street race at the time of the crash, despite video evidence suggesting otherwise. His driving record shows two previous infractions, including a ticket for speeding in his Mustang six months before the fatal accident.
