An Indian-origin truck driver has admitted causing a fatal accident in Canada because he was playing games on a mobile phone behind the steering wheel. The fatal pileup took the lives of 2 people.Baljeet Singh, 29, is an Ontario resident who pleaded guilty at Longueuil Courthouse to dangerous driving causing death and dangerous driving causing bodily harm in a fatal crash on Highway 30 in Brossard, near Montreal, on July 19, 2022.Singh was driving a 53-foot tractor-trailer when he failed to slow down while approaching heavy traffic near a construction zone, causing a collision with multiple vehicles. Singh had used his mobile phone 18 times an hour before the accident and was actively playing an online game at that time.The crash killed 42-year-old Nancy LeFrançois and her 11-year-old son, Loic Chevalier, who were riding in a passenger vehicle during the pileup. Many others were seriously injured, suffering fractures, head injuries and internal bleeding.A report revealed that Singh had only 0.35 seconds to react before impact and said that the accident could have been avoided if he had focused on the road instead of his mobile.Dashcam footage and evidence also revealed repeated distractions, including lane weaving, traffic violations and failure to take required rest breaks.After initially talking to police, Singh later left Canada and traveled to India. He was arrested abroad in 2025 and brought back to Canada to face charges. He apologized in court papers and is now in custody. He will be sentenced in June. Dangerous driving causing death can result in life imprisonment in Canada.
