In the photo: Ben Kirkey died on May 26, 2012. The 25-year-old was was accidentally hit by a shotgun blast during a skeet-shooting outing and was then thrown from a vehicle en route to meet an ambulance.
The preliminary hearing is now underway for a Kamloops man charged in the tragic death of a Thompson Rivers University student almost two years ago.
Sean Tomlin is charged with one count each of impaired driving causing death, causing an accident resulting in death and dangerous driving causing death stemming from an accident on May 26, 2012, near Scuitto Lake.
The 26-year-old — along with 25-year-old Ben Kirkey — was among a group of friends celebrating a stag when Kirkey was accidentally hit by a shotgun blast during skeet shooting.
It is alleged Tomlin was attempting to rush Kirkey to safety when he wrecked his Dodge pickup truck near the intersection of Robbins Range Road and Campbell Creek Road in Barnhartvale.
A witness happened upon the scene and found both men ejected from the rolled pickup. Kirkey died later in hospital.
Police alleged Tomlin was driving at a high rate of speed on forestry roads in an attempt to meet an ambulance en route to Scuitto Lake.
All evidence heard at preliminary inquiry is bound by a court-ordered publication ban.
Tomlin has elected trial by judge and jury in B.C. Supreme Court. It’s now up to a provincial court judge to determine, after the preliminary inquiry is over, whether there is enough evidence to proceed to trial.
Kirkey was a TRU business student who was a few weeks short of graduation at the time of his death.
