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Man accused of fatal hit-and-run in Cedar on trial

Jun 21, 2018 | 5:13 PM

NANAIMO — A BC Supreme Court trial in Nanaimo heard a man accused in a fatal hit-and-run in Cedar smelled heavily of alcohol and ran away from the scene.

Heidi Barbara Plato, 51, died after the truck she was driving collided with another pickup on Cedar Rd. near Yellow Point Rd. on Nov. 10, 2015.

Dustin Dennis Zinter, 41, pleaded not guilty to dangerous driving causing death, refusing to provide a breath sample and leaving the scene of an accident.

On Thursday, three members of the North Cedar Volunteer Fire Department and a BC Ambulance Service paramedic testified on behalf of the Crown.

Firefighter Joe Widdifield heard a loud bang while he and other members were at a department training session near the crash site. He gave Zinter first aid, saying Zinter was on his hands and knees in the middle of Cedar Rd., near the crash scene.

“Right away I noticed that there were some facial wounds, he is conscious, alert, very apologetic, he kept saying sorry,” Widdifield told court.

Zinter resisted some medical aid, his pupils were extremely dilated and he had a heavy smell of alcohol on his body and breath, Widdifield told court.

He said Zinter eventually got up and began walking away before being told he was leaving the scene of an accident was a crime.

Zinter ran away, according to Widdifield, who said he was ordered not to pursue.

Paramedic David Schwenning testified Plato was pronounced dead after firefighters extracted her from the truck.

Schwenning left the scene, but then noticed a man who appeared injured on Cedar Rd. near Lazy Susan Dr., who he speculated was Zinter.

Schwenning turned the ambulance around to investigate further and said the man was gone, which he found odd.

Schwenning said commotion from a barking dog on a farm helped lead him to who he identified to the court as Zinter hiding under a pipe on a Cedar Rd. farm.

Zinter was then handcuffed by police, released into the care of Schwenning’s ambulance and taken to Nanaimo Hospital.

Crown prosecutor Nick Barber said a witness saw Zinter leave his truck following the fatal collision.

Barber also contended Zinter was on his phone at the time of the crash.

Zinter wasn’t charged for the Cedar crash until a little more than a year after the incident.

In a separate incident, Nanaimo police reported Zinter was arrested for suspected impaired driving about two weeks prior to being charged in the Cedar crash.

Outside court, Zinter avoided having his picture taken and told NanaimoNewsNOW details of his trial couldn’t be reported due to a publication ban, which in fact is not true.

The trial, heard by the Honourable Justice Robin Baird, continues.

 

ian@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @reporterholmes