The Crown and lawyer for a young man charged with killing a Red Deer couple in a collision in February are working to resolve the case.
Chad Mitchell Olsen’s lawyer, Roy Shellnut of Calgary, told provincial court on Friday that he’s received most of the case disclosure and is involved in negotiations with the Crown to settle the case without the need for a trial.
“We’re working on it,” Shellnut told Judge Dave Plosz.
Shellnut said he’s in discussions with both Charlotte Oxford, who is handling the case, and chief Red Deer Crown, Anders Quist.
But it’s not granted that a resolution is coming, he said.
The matter returns to court on May 7.
Olsen, 22, was charged after Brad and Krista Howe, ages 34 and 35 respectively, died on Feb. 7 after their eastbound car was hit about 2 a.m. by a southbound pickup on 30th Avenue at Ironstone Drive.
The Howes were pronounced dead at the scene.
They left behind three children, ages four, seven and 14, and were the guardians of two other children, ages nine and 10.
Olsen, of Sedalia, is charged with two counts each of impaired driving causing death, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing death and driving with a blood alcohol over 0.08 causing death.
Sedalia is a hamlet 175 km southeast of Stettler.
Olsen wasn’t in court on Friday but about a dozen people who are family members and friends of the Howes attended.
A few were visibly upset later outside court.
Sandra Green, Krista Howe’s mother, said in a prepared statement the family is finding the waiting difficult.
“The waiting and wondering what will happen makes it hard for us to move on.
“We find it hard to cope with our loss and the children’s loss.
“It is our hope that this case will be settled so we can find some closure to the sudden death of our two precious children and move on in a more positive direction,” Green said.
RCMP arrested the suspect and held him in custody for about week until he was granted bail on $2,000 and strict conditions amounting to house arrest at his parent’s farm near Sedalia.
The suspect was treated for minor injuries and released from hospital following the crash.
jwilson@www.reddeeradvocate.com