Airdrie RCMP identified the driver of a pick-up truck that rolled over going northbound on Highway 2 on Aug. 17, as 49-year-old Timothy Gerald Willemsen of Airdrie.
Willemsen faces seven criminal charges including: Impaired Driving Causing Bodily Harm, Dangerous Driving Causing Bodily Harm, Criminal Negligence Causing Bodily Harm, Driving While Disqualified, and being in breach of rulings that he not be in a vehicle without the owner present, that he not operate a motor vehicle at any time, and that he not consume alcohol.
According to RCMP, the pick-up truck Willemsen was driving rolled over about half-a-kilometre south of the Yankee Valley Boulevard overpass at 9 p.m. on Aug. 17.
Corporal Darrin Turnbull of the Airdrie Integrated Traffic Unit said officers were called to the scene at 9:22 p.m.
Turnbull said witnesses told the officers they’d seen the driver of the 2004 grey, GMC Sierra pick-up truck lose control of the vehicle, rolling it into the eastside ditch.
The passenger, a 49-year-old man from Airdrie, was not wearing his seatbelt and was thrown from the vehicle, according to RCMP. He was transported to the Foothills Medical Centre where he remains in the intensive care unit.
The passenger’s identity is not being released by RCMP as he is not being charged.
Willemsen received minor injuries in the single-vehicle collision and was transferred to the Calgary Remand Centre after his arrest on Aug. 20. He was scheduled to appear in Airdrie Provincial Court for a bail hearing on Aug. 21, however, his lawyer was unavailable and the hearing was held over to Aug. 22.
On Aug. 22, Willemsen appeared in Airdrie Provincial Court via CCTV from the Calgary Remand Centre. Lawyer Shelley Moore, acting temporarily on his behalf, asked that the bail hearing be held over again until Aug. 29 to allow Willemsen time to retain permanent counsel.
Provincial Court Judge P.M. McIlhargey agreed and told Moore to appear in person on Aug. 29. The outcome was not known as of press time.
If you have any information on any crime, call your local RCMP detachment or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
