On September 9th, 2012 at 1:35 am, the New Westminster Police Department received a phone call regarding a vehicle that had crashed through the front entrance to the Royal Columbian Hospital. The NWPD arrived and observed a black truck, bearing British Columbia License Plate EH 2567, stopped inside the main entrance of the hospital causing thousands of dollars of damage to the hospital. The driver was extracted from the vehicle by staff and paramedics. The driver was identified as Ranji Singh SANDHU, a twenty-seven year old male from Surrey, British Columbia.
Multiple witnesses observed SANDHU drive the vehicle erratically on East Columbia Street, turn into the hospital parking lot, maintain his speed and turn into the front emergency entrance doors at RCH. When SANDHU drove into the hospital, two pedestrians sustained minor injuries caused by SANDHU’s actions. SANDHU’s actions were a complete disregard for human life and safety since many pedestrians were observed walking near the entrance of the hospital prior to the vehicle crashing inside the hospital.
SANDHU has been charged with the following:
- One count of Impaired Driving (Section 253(1)(a) of the Criminal Code);
- One count of Dangerous Operation of a Motor Vehicle (Section 249(1)(a) of the Criminal Code;
- One count of Mischief over $5,000 (Section 430(3) of the Criminal Code; and
- One count of Mischief that caused actual danger to life by willfully damaging the property of Royal Columbian Hospital (Section 430(2) of the Criminal Code.
SANDHU remains in custody with his next court appearance on September 19th, 2012.