October 7,2025
RED FM News Desk
A man who drunkenly drove his pickup truck into a bus stop in Squamish, B.C., killing one woman and seriously injuring another before fleeing on foot, has been sentenced to four and a half years in prison.
John Cernos, 37 at the time of the crash in September 2022, lost control of his white Ford F250 at a downtown intersection, causing the truck to roll onto its side and strike two women waiting for a bus. Gurpreet Sangha, 46, was pinned beneath the vehicle, while her cousin Kuljeet Saran, 46, was thrown roughly 100 metres away. Saran, visiting from India, had met Sangha after her late shift at a nearby restaurant.
According to court documents, Cernos had been attempting to drive to a casino after consuming a large amount of alcohol. Bystanders helped the injured women, but Cernos fled the scene and returned home to his fiancée before police arrived. Due to his intoxication, he initially claimed not to remember the incident and believed he had been wrongly arrested.
Sangha died two weeks later in hospital, while Saran survived but suffered life-altering injuries. Evidence showed Cernos had been drinking since mid-afternoon while hosting a party for his daughter’s second birthday. Despite his fiancée arranging alternative transportation, he took the truck without permission, speeding through downtown Squamish with headlights off before crashing.
Cernos later pleaded guilty to six charges, including impaired driving causing death, dangerous driving causing death, and failing to remain at the scene. His prior criminal record includes property crimes dating back to 2009.
Following the crash, he quit drinking and married his fiancée. B.C. provincial court Judge Tim Hinkson sentenced him to 54 months in prison and imposed a seven-year driving prohibition, noting the sentence reflects his moral culpability while acknowledging his remorse.
Loading ...
