Woman charged in crash that killed 2, injured 7 at West Vancouver wedding

Nearly one year after a driver crashed into a wedding party in West Vancouver, B.C., killing two people and injuring seven others, a 64-year-old woman has been charged.

Authorities said Hong Xu, a West Vancouver resident, has been charged with driving without due care and attention under the Motor Vehicle Act.

In a news release, the West Vancouver Police Department noted the charging decision was ultimately up to Crown prosecutors, who determined charging Xu under the Motor Vehicle Act was appropriate "given the evidence and circumstances of the incident."

"West Vancouver police will not be commenting on this incident any further as the matter is now before the courts," the release added.

In the days after the collision, police declined to speculate about whether the incident could result in criminal charges.

Authorities said there were approximately 50 people celebrating a wedding on Keith Road on the afternoon of Aug. 20, 2022, when a 2016 Range Rover slammed into a group of attendees.

The person behind the wheel was a neighbour who was "leaving her residence by way of a shared driveway" at the time of the collision, according to a previous news release from the WVPD.

The people killed were both women in their 60s. Of the seven others hospitalized, authorities described two as having suffered life-altering injuries.

Police previously said the driver of the Range Rover was among those hospitalized after the crash, but did not provide any details on her condition.