VANCOUVER -- A man in his 20s has been charged in connection with a 2019 crash near a Metro Vancouver university.
Sumeet Mangat has been charged with dangerous operation and impaired operation of conveyance causing death, the Burnaby RCMP said in a statement Thursday.
The 24-year-old from Surrey has also been charged with failure to stop after an accident resulting in death, and impaired operation of conveyance exceeding 80 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood, Mounties said.
The charges stem from a crash on June 29, 2019. Charles Masala, 53, was struck as he cycled up Burnaby Mountain, near the Simon Fraser University campus.
Police said the driver of an SUV left the scene, but a black Jeep Cherokee was located a short time later, and its driver was arrested.
A makeshift memorial for Masala was set up near the scene of the crash days later. It was located at the end of Sidewinder Trail, a popular spot for mountain bikers.
Among the items placed in the area was a bike, painted the colours of Zambia's flag to honour Masala's home country.
That bike, which was meant in part as a reminder to drivers to slow down, was stolen. Friends of Masala tell CTV News the tribute bike has since been replaced and the roadside memorial has been updated. A GoFundMe page set up in Masala's memory is still active.
