Charges laid 14 months after fatal downtown Vancouver crash, police say

Two seriously damaged vehicles remain at the scene of a deadly collision in downtown Vancouver on June 22, 2023. BC Emergency Health Services says three people were rushed to hospital, two of them in critical condition. A white coroner's tent was set up on West Georgia Street. (CTV News Vancouver)

Criminal charges have been laid more than a year after a fatal collision in downtown Vancouver, police announced Thursday.

Steven Austin Trakalo is facing six charges related to the June 22, 2023, crash, in which he was the alleged driver of a Plymouth Voyager minivan that struck a Honda Accord that was stopped at the intersection of West Georgia and Burrard streets.

One passenger in the Honda died at the scene and two others who were in the vehicle were hospitalized with serious injuries, according to police.

Trakalo was arrested last week in Chilliwack, and has since been released from custody, the Vancouver Police Department said in a news release.

The 35-year-old has been charged with criminal negligence causing death, two counts of criminal negligence causing bodily harm, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing death and two counts of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing bodily harm.

The charges were approved last month, the VPD said.

Online court records indicate Trakalo's next court appearance is scheduled for Oct. 7 in Vancouver.

At the time of the collision last year, police said speed and impairment were believed to be factors in the crash, with sources telling CTV News investigators were exploring the possibility that the driver of the minivan was high on magic mushrooms. 

Notably, none of the charges laid against Trakalo last month are related to impaired driving.