A Canadian court has sentenced truck driver Sukhwinder Sidhu to two-and-a-half years in prison for dangerous driving causing the death of former Olympic figure skater Alexandra Paul in a multi-vehicle crash in 2023.
Sidhu, who pleaded guilty to the charge, was also banned from driving for seven years.
The crash involved seven vehicles and left several people injured, including Paul’s 10-month-old son, who suffered a broken leg.
Before sentencing, Sidhu apologised to the victims and accepted responsibility for the fatal collision.
“I know there is nothing I can say that will fix this or make the grief any better,” Sidhu said in court while in tears. “I understand that an apology can never be enough for a loss like this.”
He also expressed sympathy for Paul’s family, saying that as a father himself, he could not imagine the pain of her son growing up without his mother.
Court Details High-Speed Crash
The court noted that Sidhu did not have a clean driving record and had previously committed several speeding violations.
On the day of the crash, prosecutors said Sidhu had been working for more than 26 hours, including at least 16 hours behind the wheel.
According to court findings, his truck entered a clearly marked construction zone at approximately 107 km/h despite posted speed restrictions reducing the limit to 60 km/h. The truck then slammed into a line of stopped vehicles, triggering the deadly crash.
The judge cited Sidhu’s excessive speed, fatigue and prior driving history while delivering the sentence.
Remembering Alexandra Paul
Alexandra Paul was 31 years old at the time of her death.
She competed internationally as an ice dancer alongside her partner and later husband, Mitchell Islam. The pair won three medals at the Canadian Figure Skating Championships and represented Canada at the 2014 Winter Olympics before retiring from competitive skating in 2016.
Her death drew widespread tributes from Canada’s skating community and fellow Olympians.
