Crown, defence wrap up their cases in Jesse Bleck hit-and-run trial
CBC
The trial of the man charged with leaving the scene of a collision that left a teen cyclist badly injured continued Wednesday, with the defence picking away at why a key witness confessed in the weeks after the crash, then changed his story the preliminary trial drew near.
It was day five of the testimony of Ahmad Jamal, a friend of Jesse Bleck's. Bleck, 26, is charged with failing to remain at the scene of a collision causing bodily harm and driving while prohibited.
The case hinges on the question of who was behind the wheel of the Nissan Ultima that struck Tristan Roby, then 17 years old, on the night of July 21, 2019. The collision left Roby with life-altering injuries.
The court has heard that two of the three occupants of the car fled the scene moments after the crash after they were confronted by a witness who followed the Ultima to a motel parking lot less than a kilometre away.
Now in the fifth day of his testimony, Jamal was questioned by Bleck's defence lawyer Geoff Snow.
Snow asked Jamal about the story he told to London Police Const. Bernie Martin at police headquarters in September 2019. It was during that interview that Jamal told police he was at the wheel that night, a story the officer had trouble believing from the start.
"You were the driver of the car when it hit that cyclist correct?" Snow asked.
"Yeah," Jamal responded.
"You told the officer you were the driver and gave him details, correct?"
"Yeah," said the witness."
"But at every turn, he acted like he didn't believe you, right?"
"Yeah."
Snow continued this line of questioning, pointing out that Const. Martin demanded to know precise details about Jamal's story, including which variety store Jamal stopped at for a drink before heading to Port Stanley and returning back to south London where the collision happened on Exeter Road at about 11 p.m.
Snow also questioned Jamal about what happened shortly after the collision, where the Ultima came to a stop at the parking lot of the Casa Blanca Motel on Wharncliffe Road South.
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