Latest news with #Nepoose
Calgary Herald
19-06-2025
- Calgary Herald
Martin: Questions arise in dramatic crash that cost young girl her life
Article content One can't help but wonder what in the world could have been going through Calgarian Duane Nepoose's mind as he raced through the southern portion of the city six months ago in a stolen van. Article content With not a police cruiser in sight, Nepoose could have at any time pulled over and fled the stolen vehicle on foot. Article content Article content He also could have slowed down to at or near the speed limit and obeyed traffic signals as there were no flashing lights behind him in hot pursuit. Article content Article content The only police present anywhere nearby was the HAWCS helicopter hovering above him high in the sky and if that was what Nepoose was fleeing he was doomed to get caught. Article content Article content Even the officer providing the narration lost his composure slightly as Nepoose rammed into Amanda Reitmeier's compact hatchback, causing a chain reaction involving five vehicles in total. Article content 'Oh, zero-one, zeros-one. We're gonna need EMS at Southland and Macleod. Massive zero-one,' the officer said, his voice wavering somewhat as he referred to the police code of 10-01 for an injury accident. Article content Article content The impact left Reitmeier and her 12-year-old daughter, Madison Desjardins, seriously injured. More tragic though, it also took the life of her nine-year-old daughter, Victoria Desjardins. Article content Article content Article content The video was played in a Calgary courtroom earlier this month after Nepoose pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including dangerous driving causing the young girl's death. Article content His sentencing hearing is set for September. Article content The facts placed on the record before Justice Indra Maharaj and read in by Crown prosecutor Todd Buziak and agreed to by the offender and his lawyers, Rebecca Snukal and Sam Taylor, did not do justice to the horrific conduct of Nepoose on that day. Article content But the HAWCS video, as well as body-worn camera footage from one of the first officers on the scene, which not only captured Nepoose's arrest but also the frantic but ultimately futile attempts to save the little girl's life, certainly did.
Global News
06-06-2025
- Global News
Driver in deadly Boxing Day crash pleads guilty to dangerous driving
The man charged in the Boxing Day death of a young Calgary girl has pleaded guilty to charges relating to her death. Nine-year-old Victoria Desjardins died after the vehicle she was in with her mom and sister was hit by a stolen van on Dec. 26, 2024. On Friday, 30-year-old Duane Nepoose pleaded guilty to one count of dangerous operation of a vehicle causing death, as well as three counts of dangerous operation of a vehicle causing bodily harm, robbery and flight from police. The plea was entered in a Calgary courtroom as Victoria's family listened to an agreed statement of facts that outlined the day's events and watched four videos that supported the timeline. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy The first video was from a security camera at a Millrise Pharmasave. The Crown read a statement from the pharmacist that stated Nepoose entered the store around 9:20 a.m. and asked for a prescription refill. He then punched the pharmacist and stole his car keys, before fleeing in the stolen van. Story continues below advertisement The second video was from the Calgary Police Service's HAWCS helicopter and showed the van driving erratically through south Calgary and Tsu'tiina Nation before speeding up Macleod Trail, eventually hitting four other vehicles. A dashcam video showed the moment of impact and the final video was from an officer-worn body camera that showed Nepoose being arrested before the officer opened the doors of the Reitmeier-Desjardins car to find the badly-injured family. Amanda Reitmeier sat in the courtroom with family and friends watching her daughter's final moments play out, the family crying and holding each other as each video was played. Family will have the opportunity to read victim impact statements during the sentencing hearing which will be heard by a judge. A date for the hearing will be set on June 13th. 'Whatever happens is not going to be enough because it can't and will never bring Victoria back,' said Kelsey Morash, a spokesperson for the family. 'It can't and will never undo the injuries sustained to Amanda and Madison and the psychological effects from that are going to be lifelong.'
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Yahoo
Video played during guilty plea showing efforts of first responders to save girl's life after crash
Gut-wrenching video was played in court on Friday showing a Calgary police officer and firefighter both trying to save the life of an unconscious nine-year-old girl who was injured in a car crash on Boxing Day after a man blew through a red light in a stolen minivan. The family of Victoria Desjardins sobbed in court as an officer's body-worn camera video was played as part of Duane Nepoose's guilty plea. Nepoose admitted to stealing a minivan, fleeing police and causing the crash that left Desjardins dead and seven others — including her mother and older sister — injured. Nepoose, 30, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing death, dangerous driving causing bodily harm, robbery and fleeing a police officer. An agreed statement of facts detailing the crime was read in by prosecutor Todd Buziak. Court heard that on the morning of Dec. 24, 2024, Nepoose entered a pharmacy, punched the pharmacist, took the man's car keys and then stole his minivan. The pharmacy owner called 911. About 20 minutes later, police spotted the stolen minivan. Officers tried to pull him over but Nepoose sped away, blowing through red lights. Calgary police's HAWC helicopter began following Nepoose in the stolen vehicle, which reached speeds of 170 kilometres per hour. Video from the helicopter was also played as part of the plea. It showed Nepoose driving dangerously, speeding, blowing through red lights and weaving through traffic in the city's deep south. Ultimately, he ended up on Macleod Trail. At the Southland Drive intersection, Nepoose blew through another red light, this time crashing into several vehicles, including a Pontiac Vibe driven by Amanda Reitmeier, whose two daughters were also in the car. Video from tactical team Const. Hovdebo's body-worn camera was also played in court, showing the officer pulling Nepoose out of the damaged minivan. The offender was placed face down on the pavement and handcuffed by other officers. Hovdebo then ran to the Vibe, wrenching open the back door. In the back seat, with deployed airbags filling much of the car, Victoria sat, unconscious, wearing a pink and purple sweatsuit. Hovdebo can be seen checking for a pulse. When he didn't find one, he gently lifted the child out of the car and placed her on the ground, beginning CPR. Eventually, the footage shows a firefighter taking over. Hovdebo heads to other vehicles to check on victims. His body-worn camera footage shows a chaotic scene of smashed cars, first responders, injured victims and passers-by, trying to help. When he returns to the Vibe, Amanda Reitmeier can be heard wailing. Both Reitmeier and her older daughter Madison Desjardins, 12, were badly injured. Reitmeier suffered a fractured pelvis, liver contusions and spinal fractures. She remained in hospital for two weeks. Madison suffered a fractured vertebrae and a Grade 3 concussion. Despite the efforts of first responders and doctors who performed surgery on Victoria, the girl died eight hours after the crash. Both parents were by her side. Justice Indra Maharaj will hear sentencing arguments from defence lawyers Rebecca Snukal and Sam Taylor and prosecutor Todd Buziak at a later date.
Calgary Herald
06-06-2025
- Calgary Herald
Driver pleads guilty in horrific Boxing Day crash that killed nine-year-old girl
Shocking video was played in a Calgary courtroom Friday showing a stolen, speeding van run a red light and crash into several vehicles, and the aftermath in which emergency workers frantically tried to save the life of a nine-year-old girl. Article content Members of Victoria Desjardins' family cried and moaned in pain as video showing the lifeless girl being removed from her mother's car, where police and fire officials attempted to get a pulse while performing CPR. Article content Article content Article content Nepoose also admitted causing bodily harm to the girl's mother and older sister, as well as another motorist while speeding through a red light on Macleod Trail. Article content According to the statement of agreed facts read in by Buziak and signed by defence lawyers Sam Taylor and Rebecca Snukal, as well as their client, Nepoose was fleeing from police after robbing a Millrise pharmacy and stealing the owner's Dodge Caravan. Article content Article content Buziak said officers initially tried to make a traffic stop of the stolen vehicle around 9:41 a.m., but Nepoose sped off. Article content The HAWCS police helicopter then tracked the vehicle as it drove on several major roadways in southwest Calgary, at one time accelerating to approximately 170 km/h, the prosecutor said. Article content Article content It eventually ended up on eastbound Stoney Trail before heading northbound on Macleod. Article content 'The vehicle continued traveling northbound on Macleod Trail travelling through the red lights at the intersections of 109th Avenue and also 99th Avenue before entering the intersection of Southland Drive against the red light,' Buziak said. Article content Nepoose struck two vehicles travelling westbound on Southland Drive, including a silver Pontiac Vibe being driven by Victoria's mother, Amanda Reitmeier. Article content 'A video recording of the collision was recorded by a dash camera of a vehicle situated in the eastbound lane of Southland Driver,' Buziak said. Article content Reitmeier and her two daughters, Madison Desjardins, 12, and Victoria, were seriously injured, the prosecutor told court. Article content
Calgary Herald
26-05-2025
- Calgary Herald
In Calgary courts: Preliminary inquiry underway for woman charged with murder in Stoney Nakoda First Nation death
Evidence is expected to conclude Tuesday in the preliminary inquiry of a Stoney Nakoda First Nation woman charged with murder. Article content Article content Cynthia Dixon's scheduled four-day hearing got underway Monday in Calgary Court of Justice, but Crown lawyer Ron Simenik said he and co-prosecutor Idayat Balogun will likely only need half that time. Article content Simenik and Balogun are expected to call six witnesses over the course of the preliminary hearing before Justice Paul Mason. Article content Article content At defence counsel Kim Ross's request, Mason ordered a publication ban on the evidence presented by the prosecutors. Article content Article content Dixon, 49, is charged with second-degree murder in connection with the Sept. 8, 2023, death of Donald Nepoose. Article content Nepoose, 55, was found dead in a residence on the first nation after Stoney Nakoda RCMP responded to a call for a disturbance at a home in the area. Article content They found Nepoose dead on scene and an autopsy later confirmed he was the victim of a homicide. His cause of death has not been made public. Article content After a months-long investigation police charged Dixon with second-degree murder in early March 2024. Article content Dixon, who is also a Stoney Nakoda resident, is free on bail pending an outcome to the case. Article content Among the conditions of her March 11, 2024, release order is that she is prohibited from possessing any weapons and a $5,000 promise to pay if she violates bail. Article content
