Accident victims from Japan fly in for trial
Man faces charges after pair seriously injured while crossing Franklin Avenue
John McFadden
Northern News Services
Wednesday, April 19, 2017
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Two Japanese tourists, struck and injured by a car last year, were back in Yellowknife last week to testify against the man accused of striking them.
Genanaw Tamene, 44, is charged under the NWT Motor Vehicle Act with careless driving and failing to yield the right of way to pedestrians after a downtown crash Aug. 14 that sent the two tourists to hospital with serious injuries.
Tamene, whose first language is Ethiopian, sat in between his lawyer Paul Falvo and an Ethiopian interpreter who translated the court proceedings for him. The trial began Thursday before judge Garth Malakoe in territorial court and has now been adjourned until June 8.
The injured tourists – Tatsuya Matsuura and Atsumi Matsuura – both required a Japanese interpreter who stood behind them as they each testified from the witness box. Atsumi Matsuura still uses a cane because of injuries she suffered in the collision. Both interpreters had to be sworn in as well.
At the time of the crash, witnesses told Yellowknifer the two tourists had the right of way and were crossing Franklin Avenue at 49 Street when they were hit by a car which sent them flying through the air and into the middle of the street.
They said the vehicle, which had several passengers in it, ran a red light at the intersection while travelling southbound on Franklin Avenue.
After hitting the two pedestrians, the car crossed Franklin and mowed down a parking meter in front of Centre Square Mall after jumping the curb before finally coming to a stop.
Three civilians, one of whom administered first-aid until paramedics arrived, have already testified along with the two tourists. An RCMP officer is still waiting to take the stand.
He is expected to testify when the trial resumes. It is not yet clear if Tamene will testify in his own defence.
Territorial government prosecutor Roger Shepard said the GNWT paid to have the two witnesses travel to Yellowknife from Japan and then home again as well as for their hotel room and expenses.
"The witnesses arrived in Yellowknife on the evening of Tuesday, April 11 and were scheduled to leave the city on the morning of Friday, April 14," Shepard stated in an e-mail.
He said he did not know how much it cost to bring them to Yellowknife for the trial.
The prosecutor added his office tried to set up a video system for the injured tourists to testify from Japan but the logistics did not work out.
"It was not the sole issue but the (15-hour) time differential would have made it difficult," said Shepard.
It is not uncommon to have witnesses travel from other jurisdictions for criminal trials but it is relatively rare for people to travel this far to testify in a case involving a Motor Vehicle Act offence.
The maximum penalty for careless driving in the NWT is six months in jail, a $5,000 fine, or both.
