A Red Deer man facing several charges in connection with a Canada Day crash that killed a 13-year-old boy reserved his election through a lawyer on Friday morning.
Rodney Arens, 32, returns to court on Aug. 6 after Red Deer lawyer Kevin Sproule, acting as an agent for an Edmonton lawyer, reserved plea on charges of impaired driving causing death, impaired driving causing bodily harm, dangerous driving causing death, dangerous driving causing bodily harm, refusing to provide a breathalyzer sample and breach of conditions.
Arens wasn’t in court since his lawyer Shannon Prithipaul filed a designation of counsel form through Sproule. The form allows a lawyer to appear for their client without the necessity of the accused appearing until the case is resolved.
The two-vehicle collision occurred around 10:55 p.m.
Police have said a heavy-duty pickup truck travelling north on Taylor Drive allegedly struck the passenger side of a small southbound car as its driver, a 20-year-old woman, was making a left turn onto Kerry Wood Drive.
Anouluck ‘Jeffrey’ Chanminaraj of Red Deer died in the crash.
Two other people in the vehicle were injured.