WARNING: THIS STORY CONTAINS CONTENT THAT MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR ALL READERS
A retired military member who lives in Calabogie, Ontario, was the first one to attend the scene of a crash that killed two and seriously injured two others.
The trial against Ann Senack, a former server at Shooters Bar & Grill in Calabogie, continued virtually today (April 14, 2021). Senack is charged with two counts of criminal negligence causing bodily harm and two counts of criminal negligence causing death. None of the charges have been proven in court.
It’s alleged that Senack served five underage hockey players past the point of intoxication on the night of Wednesday October 26th, 2017. Four of them drove away together and were involved in a fatal collision along Calabogie Road. Two of the 18-year-olds in the vehicle were killed and two others were seriously injured. Video evidence showed 9 rounds of shots, two pitchers of beer, individual beers and mixed drinks were served to the individuals in the two hours they were at the bar (including a round of shots eight minutes before they drove off). Police say alcohol contributed to the crash and an investigation determined the vehicle was travelling towards Burnstown when it left the roadway and struck a rock cut.
This morning, John Jeffrey Agnew, the individual who called 911 and was first on the scene, testified. Agnew said he was returning from an Ottawa Senators hockey game when he came across the crash site. He testified that he first noticed the vehicle shortly after passing through Burnstown, after he got to the top of the hill and was driving towards Calabogie. Agnew says at first he thought it was a rock cut that fell onto the road, but later identified the smashed up car which had no tires.
Agnew says either while he was on the phone with 911, or shortly after, he witnessed some motion and saw one person crawl out of the passenger side of the vehicle. Agnew says they put one hand on the roof of the car and pulled themselves out before walking over to his vehicle. The military veteran of 35-years was able to assess the male and sit them in the back seat of his Volkswagen SUV. Agnew says the young man was holding his left arm in pain, but did not slur his speech or stumble after getting out of the crashed vehicle. Agnew told the court the teenager was concerned for his friends and before first responders arrived he went to check out the scene.
Three of the four passengers were ejected from the vehicle.
Agnew first came across one victim laying on the side of the roadway. He says the victim was to the right of the car facing towards Calabogie. He checked for a pulse, but Agnew testified that the victim was clearly dead. The OPP confirmed 18-year-old Brandon Hanniman, who was the driver of the vehicle died at the scene, while 18-year-old Alex Paquette succumbed to his injuries in hospital.
Agnew said another victim was found 45 degrees to the right of the car in the ditch and he was able to find a faint pulse. At this point police and paramedics had arrived and found the third individual further down the road. Agnew told the court he didn’t see the third person.
Agnew says after he relayed his information to medical staff he went back to his vehicle to talk with the young fellow in the back. Agnew says he kept asking how his buddies were doing and Agnew lied by telling him they were ok. Agnew tried to be reassuring and keep the young man calm. He said it wasn’t going to be nice telling the young man his friends were dead and figured it would get sorted out in the morning. No names were exchanged in the back of the SUV.
Agnew told the court one of the first responders made a comment about beer bottles and cans being all over the place around the scene of the crash.
Trial proceedings are expected to continue tomorrow (April 15th, 2021) with two witnesses set to testify.
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