The 24-year-old Surrey man accused of killing Burnaby cyclist and father of two Charles Masala in a hit-and-run on Gaglardi Way more than two years ago is scheduled to plead guilty in Vancouver provincial court next month – but what he will be pleading guilty to remains to be seen.
Masala, 53, was hit and killed while cycling beside Gaglardi Way on the side of Burnaby Mountain at about 1:30 p.m. on June 29, 2019.
Whoever hit him didn’t stay at the scene, but police said they located a suspect vehicle – a black Jeep Cherokee SUV – on University High Street and Tower Road a short time later, according to a Burnaby RCMP press release at the time.
The driver was arrested and released, but charges weren’t approved until Jan. 13 of this year.
Surrey resident Sumeet Mangat, 24, stands charged with impaired driving causing death, dangerous driving causing death and failing to stop after an accident resulting in death in relation to the deadly hit-and-run.
There was a pretrial conference in the case last week, and Mangat is now scheduled to plead guilty in Vancouver provincial court on Sept. 27.
When asked whether he would be pleading guilty to all or only some of the charges – or other, lesser charges – BC Prosecution Service spokesperson Dan McLaughlin said he could only confirm a guilty plea had been scheduled.
“As the matter remains before the court, the BCPS will not be commenting on the details of the anticipated resolution or the specifics of the plea at this time,” McLaughlin said in an email statement.
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