A 35-year-old man is set to appear in court at a date to be determined as he's been charged in the death of a woman from a Coquitlam collision.
One count of dangerous operation of a vehicle causing death was approved for Ryan Stayner of Langley by the BC Prosecution Service this month, which marks almost a year after the crash took place.
On Aug. 16, 2020 — around 11:15 p.m. — Mounties responded to an incident on the Highway 1 westbound off-ramp at Brunette Avenue where a 2019 Dodge Ram struck a concrete barrier and forced an hours-long closure until the next morning.
A 30-year-old female passenger from Surrey ultimately died of her injuries from the single-vehicle collision.
Following the events that evening, Coquitlam RCMP’s Criminal Collision Investigative Team (CCIT) began an investigation that's described by spokesperson Const. Deanna Law as "exhaustive and detailed."
This included speaking with witnesses, obtaining search warrants and thorough vehicle examinations, which were sent to the BC Prosecution Service for review and appropriate charges.
Stayner was officially approved of the charge on Aug. 4.
“It is common for police to identify a suspect early in an investigation but require additional time to investigate and analyse evidence," Law adds, explaining why it took a year for any charges to be laid.
“To meet the rigorous standards that our judicial system requires, we seek to complete our investigations to the highest possible standards, but this takes time and we know it can be upsetting to those waiting for answers.”
Law says Mounties are continuing to practice proactive traffic enforcement to keep all roads safe, including local highways.
Anyone who sees dangerous driving behaviour is encouraged to call Coquitlam RCMP at 604-945-1550 or anonymously contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
