In an unexpected turn of events, all charges against Condrain Group – the firm implicated in a tragic incident leading to six fatalities in Barrie in August 2022 – have been withdrawn. On judgment day, the Crown abandoned the case, citing no reasonable expectation of a conviction.
The Condrain Group had been indicted with six counts of criminal negligence causing deaths. This followed accusations by the Barrie police that the construction company had failed to secure a construction site adequately. Focused around McKay Road, the disaster occurred when a car tumbled into a cavernous concrete chasm, leading to the painful demise of six youthful individuals – Curtis King, River Wells, Jason Ono-O’Connor, Luke West, Jersey Mitchell, and Haley Marin.
The victims, whose ages ranged between 20 to 23 years, were believed to be en route to a casino in Innisfil, situated south of Barrie, when tragedy struck. Their car horrifically met its fate in the enormous void that sat ominously at the center of the closed road connecting Veterans Drive and County Road 27. This ghastly accident scene was discovered nearly 20 hours later by the local law enforcement agencies.
A statement from Condrain Group, delivered through its legal representation Henein Hutchison Robitaille LLP, said that the company “has always had faith in the justice system and anticipated an outcome just as it has happened today.” The company also expressed its sorrow over the tragic loss of lives and reiterated its commitment to the Barrie community, expressing intent to persevere in the aftermath of this heartrending ordeal.
As it stands, the specifics concerning safety measures such as barricades, signage, or fencing around the vast cavity in the construction region where this fatal crash happened, continue to be undisclosed. The city officials of Barrie confirm that this area was intended for an infrastructure project involving new water mains and sanitary sewers at McKay Road and Veterans Drive.
Undaunted by this tragedy, the diverse community living around Barrie still finds ways to continue their daily lives and activities. For example, many residents have turned to safer platforms for their entertainment needs. Over at West Island Blog, we provide respite from the daily grind with the very best online casinos that Canada has to offer. There’s a comfort in the camaraderie of community, even in such times of sorrow.
Condrain, founded by the De Gasperis brothers, holds a prominent spot among Ontario’s largest construction companies.
