An Indian-origin truck driver from Alberta has been sentenced after a dangerous crash in British Columbia that saw his tractor-trailer slam into a tow truck and a Mercedes on a dark stretch of highway near Yoho National Park.
Police say the incident occurred on December 8, 2023, just after 8:30pm on Highway 1, west of Field. A tow truck operator had stopped to impound a Mercedes for excessive speeding, working alongside a BC Highway Patrol officer. The tow truck had its flashing amber lights activated to warn approaching drivers.
Despite the warning, 38-year-old Dalvir Singh Jhattu drove his tractor-trailer into the back of the tow truck, destroying all three vehicles — the tow truck, the Mercedes, and his own truck, which rolled over in the impact.
“Luckily the tow truck operator, the police officer, and the Mercedes driver were safely off to the side of the road, or they would certainly have been killed,” Cpl. Michael McLaughlin from BC Highway Patrol told media.
“The tractor-trailer driver could easily have died as his truck rolled over and he became trapped.”
Jhattu was later found guilty of dangerous driving. On April 8, 2026, he was sentenced to a six-month conditional sentence order, including 90 days of house arrest, along with a 12-month driving ban across Canada. The court also imposed strict conditions, including a prohibition on alcohol and drug use.
Authorities have released video footage of the crash as a warning to motorists, highlighting the importance of adhering to the “Slow Down, Move Over” law.
Under the law, drivers must reduce speed to below 70 km/h when approaching emergency or roadside vehicles with flashing lights on roads where the speed limit exceeds 80 km/h. Motorists are also required to move into the furthest safe lane away from emergency responders where possible.
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