Alexandra Paul was pronounced dead after a multi-car crash in Melancthon Township, 70 miles north of Toronto, on Aug. 22, 2023. The Canadian Olympic figure skater was also accompanied by her 10-month-old son, who survived the incident.
Videos by Wide Open Country
Sukhwinder Sidhu, the truck driver who pleaded guilty to his charges in February, was sentenced on Wednesday, May 13. We have the details below.
Who Is Alexandra Paul?
Paul represented Canada alongside her skating partner Mitchell Islam at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. The duo placed 18th in the mixed ice dance event.
Paul and Islam began skating together in 2009. They won Canada's junior ice dance title that year. Then in 2010, they took silver at the ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championship.
They also were awarded bronze medals at the Canadian national championships in 2011, 2014, and 2015. The duo then retired from competitive figure skating after winning bronze at the US Classic International in 2016.
Paul and Islam married in 2021, the same year she earned her Juris Doctor from the University of Windsor Law School and became an attorney at Barriston Law. Their son Charlie was born in 2022.
What Happened to the Truck Driver?
Sidhu was sentenced to two and a half years in prison and a seven-year driving ban, as reported by the New York Post.
Paul's vehicle was among seven struck when Sidhu's truck went through a construction zone at 66 mph. The posted speed limit was 37 mph. Sidhu had spent 16 hours behind the wheel and had been working 26 hours at the time of the crash.
Sidhu had multiple speeding violations prior to the incident, but no criminal record and was a parent of two. The judge said these factors made the prison sentence the only appropriate outcome.
"I know there is nothing I can say that will fix this or make the grief any better. I understand that an apology can never be enough for a loss like this," Sidhu said, accepting full responsibility for his actions.
Sidhu added, "To every person who was injured or traumatized that day, I am deeply sorry. I know the pain and impact of what happened did not end when the crash ended."
Paul's father said before the sentencing, "I didn't get a chance to say goodbye. I couldn't give her another hug. She was just gone."
