Ontario Truck Driver Gets 2.5-Year Sentence in Crash That Killed Olympian Alexandra Paul

An Ontario truck driver who pleaded guilty to dangerous driving was sentenced to 2.5 years in prison in connection with a crash that killed an Olympic figure skater and injured several others.

Sukhwinder Sidhu had been driving for 16 hours when he crashed into the car of figure skater Alexandra Paul, killing her and injuring four others including her 10-month-old son, whose leg was broken.

Sidhu pleaded guilty in February to dangerous driving, causing the crash on Aug. 22, 2023, at a construction zone in the rural township of Melancthon, just north of Toronto.

Ontario Superior Court Justice Clayton Conlan heard evidence that Sidhu, who had several prior infractions for speeding, had been driving at about 108 km/h in the marked 60 km/h construction zone when he crashed into several cars, including Paul’s.

Following the reading of victim impact statements and an apology from Sidhu, Justice Conlan handed Sidhu a seven-year driving ban, along with the prison sentence.

Paul’s husband and skating partner, Mitchell Islam, told the court he recalled police officers coming to his home the day of the crash, just as he was about to go looking for her as he could not reach her by phone.

“When the officer told me Alex was gone, it was crippling fog and numbness. I remember buckling into his arms,” he said.

Describing the impact Paul’s death would have on their son, Islam said the child will “only know from stories about how amazing she was.”

Paul’s mother said the world was “not the same anymore” following the death of her daughter, while Paul’s father described not having the chance to say goodbye.

Justice Conlan said Sidhu’s character and lack of prior criminal record had been taken into consideration in his decision, but that imprisonment was called for, given the aggravating nature of factors including his high speed through a construction zone.

Sidhu cried as he addressed the court saying that he is a father himself and could not imagine the pain of losing a child.

“I understand that an apology can never be enough for a loss like this,” he said.

Paul’s international figure skating career with Islam spanned roughly seven years at the elite level, from around 2009 when they teamed up until their retirement in 2016. The pair broke through internationally at the junior level, winning silver at the 2010 World Junior Championships before moving into senior competition, where they represented Canada at multiple Four Continents Championships and earned a silver medal at the 2014 Canadian national championships.

They reached the pinnacle of their competitive career at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, placing 18th in ice dance. After retiring from elite competition in 2016, Paul and Islam continued skating professionally in ice shows and exhibitions, maintaining a presence in the sport beyond competition.

The Canadian Press contributed to this report.