Victim statements heard before Sidhu sentencing in Alexandra Paul crash

Alexandra Paul’s family gave victim impact statements in an Ontario court today before the sentencing of Sukhwinder Sidhu. Sidhu, who pleaded guilty in February, also apologized in court and said, "I take full responsibility for the crash."

The crash killed Paul and injured her infant son in Melancthon Township, Ont. Court heard that a truck was driving at a high rate of speed when it entered a construction zone and hit stopped cars, with seven vehicles involved in all.

Ontario Court sentencing

Judge sentencing was pending after Sidhu pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing death and dangerous driving causing bodily harm. The guilty plea came in February, moving the case into the sentencing phase and bringing Paul’s family back to court to describe the loss they say remains in their lives.

Several family members, including Mitchell Islam, told the court there is a void in their lives since her death. Paul’s family also said they are heartbroken that her son will grow up without her.

Alexandra Paul and Mitchell Islam

Paul was 31 when she died. She competed as an ice dancer with Islam, her partner and eventual husband, won three Canadian Championship medals, and took part in the 2014 Olympic Winter Games before retiring in 2016.

The facts read in court tied the sentencing directly to the 2023 collision in Melancthon Township, where the truck struck stopped vehicles in a construction zone. Sidhu’s guilty plea and apology left sentencing as the remaining step in the case, with the court already hearing from the family most directly affected by the crash.