The man charged in connection with the Jan. 18, 2011 crash that killed South Surrey resident Jim Neiss has pleaded not guilty to dangerous driving causing death.
The plea was entered for Glen Edwards Theriault by his lawyer, Maegan Richards, during a brief appearance in Surrey Provincial Court Wednesday.
Theriault did not attend.
Neiss, 59, died just after 5:30 a.m. when his eastbound Ford Explorer was hit head-on in the 19800-block of 16 Avenue by a Sterling dump truck that had reportedly crossed a double-yellow line to pass a small white car.
The force of the impact compressed the front section of the Explorer into less than half its width.
Neiss – a bus driver with the Langley School District since 2003 – had been on his way to work. The dump truck driver, identified at the time of the crash as a Burnaby resident, was treated at the scene and released.
A charge against Theriault was laid 10 months later.
Wednesday, Richards estimated five days would be needed for a trial. Prosecutor Jim Lees told the court the Crown’s case “will take at least three days.”
“This matter isn’t likely going to be set down for at least a year,” he added.
A trial date was not set by Peace Arch News press deadline Wednesday.