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Langley driver dies following collision that killed family Brain tumour may have contributed to crash TRACY HOLMES Black Press
A sixth person has died following the horrific crash that killed five members of one family in South Surrey last week. Daniel Gore, 46, of Langley, died Sunday shortly after 1 p.m., one week after the crash at 176 Street and 32 Avenue that claimed the lives of Surrey residents three-year-old Jessica Sachdeva, five-year-old brother Annish, aunt Neelam Dhingra, 47, grandmother Vidya Sachdeva, 68, and mother Pawandeep Arjot, 31. Richard Fowler, lawyer for Gore’s family, told Black Press Monday that Gore died after undergoing surgery for a “non-malignant brain tumour.” Surrey RCMP Cpl. Bert Paquet said the condition was discovered in hospital, where Gore was initially listed in serious but stable condition following the April 28 crash. Police had previously said indications were that a westbound van driven by a lone occupant had sped through a red light into the Sachdeva family’s sedan, and that charges were likely. At the time of the collision, Gore was apparently en route to his job as a meat-cutter at a Thrifty Foods in South Surrey — a job he had started just a week prior. He was scheduled to start his shift “a short time after” the crash
occurred, Paquet said. Paquet told Black Press it is believed Gore’s condition was pre-existing but officials are attempting to confirm whether it was a contributing factor to the crash. He expects the investigation will take “at least several weeks,” but said it’s possible there will never be a definitive answer. “With the tragic twist of events yesterday, it is a possibility we have to face,” he said. “Our investigators never spoke with him. “We’re definitely dealing with a grey area right now that we hope our investigation will be able to answer.” Fowler said from what he can gather, the tumour did play a role. “His family is absolutely devastated by his passing and of course by the circumstances of the tragic accident, which by all accounts appears to have been the result of some underlying medical condition. “We may never know for certain but people who know him well describe him as a careful driver. By all accounts (he) wasn’t late for work, he had breakfast with his son before driving to work that day. “He had plenty of time to get to work. It would have been so out of the ordinary for him to be driving like that — speeding or going through a red light like that.” Fowler said Gore was a father who had lots of friends. “People described him as a very nice man, a careful driver and somebody who is going to be missed.” Paquet said he is hopeful the investigation can bring the two families some closure. – with files from Sarah Massah
Dan FERGUSON/Langley Times
BIG BOUNCE: It was a very large basketball, but Trianne Fraser managed to get it airborne Sunday in Douglas Park as participants gathered for the Langley Walk. The weather for the 51st annual walk was warm and sunny. See story, page 11.
Bodies of Langley teens recovered from Nicola Lake Pair missing since canoe overturned on April 21 The bodies of two Langley Secondary School students who went missing April 21 were found Monday in Nicola Lake. The families had hired Gene and Sandy Ralston of Idaho, who
specialize in water recoveries, after police ended their search for Austin Kingsborough and Brendan Wilson. The two longtime friends, both Grade 12 LSS students, had been at the Wilson family property at Nicola Lake, near Merritt. When they did not return home as expected for supper on Sunday, April 21, their families alerted police. The next morning, an overturned canoe was found on the lake.
The Ralstons began their search on Sunday, and searched all day. When the search resumed Monday morning, they found the bodies fairly quickly, in about 75 feet of water. The bodies were recovered from Nicola Bay, near where the canoe had been located. The families did not hold out much hope after the formal search ended, family friend Scott Lebus said last week.
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They hired the Ralstons because of their expertise in recovering drowning victims. They have recovered 84 drowning victims using their unique equipment. The two teens, who were also well-known in Langley Minor Hockey circles, had many friends at LSS and the school community was deeply affected by the tragedy. Students put together a number of fundraisers under the name “Pray for the Boys,” selling
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T-shirts and bracelets. The Langley Rotary Club has formed a partnership to help the families with expenses. It has been opened up at CIBC. Those interested can go to any branch and quote branch #02120, account #1000314. Cans and bottles can be taken to the Langley Recycling Depot (on Industrial Ave.) and the funds put in the #Prayfortheboys account.