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A truck driver on the run has finally been apprehended nine months after he allegedly ran a stop sign, leading to a tragic accident that claimed the lives of a mother and her eight-year-old daughter.
Navjeet Singh, 25, was driving his semi-truck when he collided with an SUV on Highway 201 near Altona, Manitoba, Canada, on November 15.
Sara Unger, 35, who was driving the SUV, was pronounced dead at the scene while her daughter Alexa, 8, was flown to the hospital but succumbed to her injuries while in her father’s embrace.
At the scene, Singh informed the authorities he was too distraught from the crash to discuss it, leading them to arrange an interview for the day following his discharge from the hospital.
But Singh failed to show up and fled the country.
Months later, he was taken into custody at Toronto Airport Thursday morning after landing in Canada on an Ethiopian Airlines flight.
The victims’ family celebrated Singh’s arrest on social media, with one loved one writing: ‘They finally got him’.
Navjeet Singh, 25, was arrested nine months after he allegedly killed a mother and her young daughter when he blew through a stop sign
Sara Unger, 35, and her daughter Alexa, 8, were killed when the truck smashed into their SUV
Singh faced charges for two counts of dangerous driving causing death and one count of obstructing a police officer. A nationwide warrant for his arrest was issued on November 21.
Originally residing in Brampton near the city, Singh is suspected to have first gone into seclusion in Toronto before leaving Canada for an unidentified destination.
It is not clear why he flew back into the country on the day of his arrest.
He has been transferred to Winnipeg, Manitoba, to face charges.
‘This investigation was a combined effort and could not have been accomplished without the hard work of multiple policing organizations,’ Pembina Valley Royal Canadian Mounted Police Corporal Jamie Sokolosky said.
‘This has been an extremely tough time for the family. We thank everyone who put their concerns and comments out there – we all came together to ensure this apprehension was successful.’
When Singh first went on the run, police defended their decision not to detain him immediately after the crash.
‘Hindsight is always 20/20,’ police said at the time.
‘When you look at, “OK, now he is running”, well, then of course we should have detained him, but when you can’t get information from the driver at the hospital… we can’t talk to him.’
Unger was born Sara Sawatzky in Mexico, the youngest of nine siblings, and moved with her family to Canada in 1994, according to her obituary.
Unger died at the scene and Alexa was airlifted to hospital but died in her father’s arms from her injuries
Unger and Alexa are survived by their husband and father Peter, and son and brother Dominic
Alexa’s obituary noted her close relationship with her father that lasted until her final moments
In May 2011, she married Peter Unger and they had two children, Alexa and Dominic.
‘Sara and her husband loved cooking for each other, they enjoyed camping and going on hikes,’ the obituary read.
‘She was the kids teacher and was pretty darn good at it. The amount of crafts she did with the kids, jars of caterpillars, and frog holding she let the kids do even though she hated those things.
‘I always said “your a better mom then me”… She had a big heart, wanted everyone to get along.’
An obituary for eight-year-old Alexa noted her close relationship with her father.
‘Alexa was the most sassy full of life little girl you could ever meet. You couldn’t come or go without getting an “Alexa hug”,’ it read.
‘Anyone who saw her and her dad together could see that close relationship and there was no getting in the way.
‘I believe that is why she waited for her dad to come hold her till she went to be with her mom. You will be so missed sweet little girl.’
