Humboldt Broncos bus crash

Two ambulance services, Tisdale Ambulance Care from Tisdale, SK, and North East EMS from Nipawin, SK, responded initially. Ambulances from Melfort, SK, and Carrot River, SK, were also brought in to assist. Medavie Health Services West also assisted with transporting patients from the nearby hospitals. Three helicopters and four air ambulance planes were loaned from various cities and companies to help transport the most critically wounded to the Royal University Hospital in Saskatoon, almost 270 km (170 mi) away. Due to the number of injuries, the hospital declared a Code Orange, indicating mass casualties were en route.[35] The Saskatchewan Health Authority, which oversees hospitals and ambulance services in the province, has encouraged employees affected to access counselling available, as many of the first responders had ties to the accident. Jessica Brost, the paramedic manager of Nipawin's North East EMS, stated that the crash was "just too close to home, especially in Saskatchewan, where everyone is either a billet, obsessed with hockey, or the parent of a teenage hockey player".[36]

Doug Lapchuk, president of the Saskatchewan Volunteer Firefighters Association, said his organization has sent peer counsellors to help members of the Nipawin and Tisdale fire departments who were involved in removing victims from the crash. A Tisdale crane operator was called to the scene of the crash to use his crane to hoist the roof of the bus to allow first responders to access victims underneath it. He stated concern about the "poor first responders, them guys – they were the ones getting the people out of there, they were the ones making the decisions".[36]

An estimated 80 first responders were on scene of the crash, with resources from Tisdale, Nipawin, Zenon Park, Carrot River, Melfort, and other locations dispatched to provide aid.[37] An eyewitness who was waiting to turn at the intersection stated that her 911 call, placed moments after the incident, was responded to 15 minutes later by police.[38]

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) planned a news conference[39] about the investigation into the crash. According to a statement released April 18, 2018, Assistant Commissioner Curtis Zablocki, the Commanding Officer of the Saskatchewan RCMP, would not announce any charges related to the crash. The RCMP planned to only answer general questions from the media about the collision.[40] During the press conference, Zablocki stated that the truck driver was immediately taken into custody and released after the accident, and that the driver has been in constant contact with the RCMP. Under investigation are the engine computers for both vehicles, the drivers' logs, and the drivers' experience.[41] It was also stated during the press conference that the truck driver was in the intersection at the time of collision, but Assistant Commissioner Zablocki said he could not comment on its speed when the crash took place.[42]

The RCMP returned to the scene of the crash on April 19, 2018, to do additional analysis and testing with reconstructionists and officers. A police news release stated the investigators would be using vehicles similar to those involved in the collision to allow the reconstructionists to take further measurements and analyze sight lines.[41] Previously, members of the RCMP had conducted more than 50 interviews with independent witnesses, the driver of the semi-trailer truck, the trucking company's owner, victims, and other individuals. Over 5,500 photos had been taken to document the scene and analyzed, along with imaging from 3D technology and drone usage.[42]

Kelsey Fiddler, present at the intersection at the time of the crash, was identified as a key eyewitness. She stated in an interview she had to swing her vehicle away seconds before the crash to avoid being sandwiched by the two vehicles. Reportedly, she was waiting at the eastbound stop sign on Highway 335 to make the turn onto Highway 35 and saw the bus approaching in the northbound lane of Highway 35 at what seemed to her as "regular highway speed". Fiddler is also identified as one of the first callers to 911 in response to the crash.[38]

On July 6, 2018, the RCMP held a news conference to announce an arrest and charges in relation to the collision. The driver of the truck, 29-year-old Jaskirat Singh Sidhu of Calgary, was charged with 16 counts of dangerous driving causing death, and 13 counts of dangerous driving causing bodily harm.[43][44] Sidhu had only one year of experience driving trucks and had only two weeks of training on the vehicle he was driving at the time of the crash. He had only been driving the vehicle on his own for two weeks when the crash occurred.[44] He was released on $1,000 bail with a number of conditions: he was required to reside at his Calgary home, follow a curfew, be under a driving ban, and surrender his passport.[45]

In October 2018, Sukhmander Singh, the owner of the involved trucking company Adesh Deol Trucking Ltd., was charged with violating federal and provincial safety regulations. These included two counts of failure to require a daily log, two counts of keeping multiple daily logs for a single day, three counts of failure to monitor their driver's compliance with the relevant regulation, and one count of failure to have or follow a written safety program. A court date was set for November 9.[46]

On January 8, 2019, Sidhu pleaded guilty to all counts[47] and underwent sentencing hearings in late January, hearing from 90 victim impact statements. A forensic report found that he did not apply the brakes upon approaching the intersection and that his view was unobstructed with plenty of advance warnings. On the final day of hearings, January 31, Sidhu expressed remorse and apologized. The Crown requested a 10-year prison sentence, with each count to be served concurrently, followed by a 10-year driving ban. Judge Inez Cardinal delivered her sentencing decision on March 22, 2019: concurrent sentences of 8 years.[48][49]

Russell and Raelene Herold, the parents of Adam Herold, filed a lawsuit on behalf of their late son. It names the truck driver, the trucking company, and the bus manufacturer, and asks for unspecified damages and court orders, including one that would require all buses carrying sports teams in Saskatchewan to have seat belts and other safety devices.[50]

Ryan Straschnitzki, a survivor of the bus crash, filed a $13.5M lawsuit, seeking damages against the truck and bus drivers, the trucking company, the provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan, and several others.[51]

In tribute to the victims, people left their hockey sticks out on their front porches

The National Hockey League, Canadian Hockey League, Canadian Junior Hockey League, and many of their respective teams and players offered tributes to the Broncos team, as did the Saskatchewan Rush of the National Lacrosse League and the Saskatchewan Roughriders Canadian football team.[74][75] On April 7, in their final game of the 2017–18 regular season, players on the Winnipeg Jets and Chicago Blackhawks teams had the "Broncos" name in place of their regular name bars on the back of their jerseys in their game and stood united in a circle at centre ice during the national anthems.[76] On that same night, the Nashville Predators played "O Canada" before their last home game and regular-season game against the Columbus Blue Jackets, despite neither team being Canadian-based. Several teams added special decals to their helmets to honour the Broncos.[77]

On April 7, a moment of silence was observed before the NCAA college hockey championship in Minnesota.[78] Sidney Crosby, captain of the Pittsburgh Penguins, had a special Penguins jersey with the words "BRONCOS 18", made and signed by the whole Penguins team, sent to the Broncos.[79] The 7 April broadcast of Coach's Corner on Hockey Night in Canada focused on the incident, with Don Cherry describing it as a "national nightmare".[80] The episode was devoted to discussing the 29 coaches, players, trainers, and media associated with the team that were on the bus, and also commented about the December 1986 Swift Current Broncos bus crash.[80]

After eliminating the Minnesota Wild on April 20, 2018, during the first round of the 2018 Stanley Cup playoffs, the Jets displayed survivor Matthieu Gomercic, a forward for the Humboldt Broncos, on the jumbotron of Bell MTS Place, drawing a raucous standing ovation from the crowd.[81] As the first round of the playoffs progressed, the Stanley Cup was also brought to the hospital where the injured players were to improve their spirits.[82] Two months later, after the Washington Capitals won the Stanley Cup, Chandler Stephenson, who knew some of the people on the Broncos team, stated his intent to spend his day with the Stanley Cup in Humboldt,[83] which he did in late August.[84]

On June 20, 2018, 10 survivors of the crash were honoured at the 2018 NHL Awards in Las Vegas.[85] Their late head coach Darcy Haugan won the inaugural Willie O’Ree Community Hero Award which is given to a person who has positively impacted their community, culture, or society through the game of hockey.[86] Two days later at the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, the Broncos were awarded the E.J. McGuire Award of Excellence.[87]

A vigil for the victims was held on April 8 at Elgar Petersen Arena, the home of the Broncos. Prime Minister Trudeau and Saskatchewan Premier Moe attended, but did not speak.[88] Outside the arena, the cars of those who died in the accident remained parked with white roses placed on their windshields.[35]

On April 12, 2018, people across Canada were encouraged to wear sports jerseys to remember the victims in a movement known as #JerseysForHumboldt.[89][90] Many Canadians and others around the world wore jerseys, and Toronto Mayor John Tory proclaimed April 12 to be Jersey Day in honour of those killed in the accident.[91] On April 14, during Game 1 of the Toronto Raptors and Washington Wizards of the 2018 NBA Playoffs, Canadian rapper Drake wore a Humboldt Broncos jersey, which he had the Raptors team sign after the game.[92][93] Canadian professional golfer Brooke Henderson dedicated her win at the LPGA's Lotte Championship to the Broncos.[94] A week after the crash, one of the teams taking part in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) championship made a stop to the scene of the crash to pay their respects, with players and coaches stating they felt stopping at the site was an important step in the grieving process.[95]

Shortly after the accident, people began leaving their hockey sticks out on their front porches as tributes to the victims.[96] The tribute, known by the social media hashtag #PutYourSticksOut, was started after TSN Radio and former Broncos broadcaster Brian Munz received a text message from a friend urging people to leave their hockey sticks out, stating "the boys might need them ... wherever they are".[97][98] The grandparents of one of the deceased initially set out to collect and display fifteen sticks but by April 12 had received 50 sticks and other memorabilia.[99] Kingston musician Jason "Smitty" Smith posted a song about the crash on Facebook, the video shares a similar idea from the campaign and is entitled "Leave a Stick Out By the Door", which had generated over 1.3 million views by April 12, 2018. He began working on recording the song professionally and will donate the proceeds to families of the victims.[100]

The crash location has been turned into a memorial, with Canadians from all across the country leaving flowers, candles, stuffed bears, stickers, coffee cups, wreaths, and hockey sticks.[35] On April 14, 2018, Nipawin resident Rocky Salisbury placed 16 crosses at the crash site to memorialize the dead.[101]

Four days after the Humboldt Broncos crash, musician Tom Cochrane appeared on Canadian sports network TSN to perform an acoustic version of his song "Big League" before hockey coverage began.[102][103] He updated the lyrics to imply the players were "riding to immortality" and placed an emphasis on the unpredictability of life. Eight days later, he released a studio recording of the reworked version as a charity single, with sales proceeds directed to the Humboldt Strong Community Foundation.[104]

At least two tattoo tributes were carried out by those connected to the crash. Two siblings and two friends of survivor Morgan Gobeil had his heartbeat, measured at the hospital, tattooed onto their arms at Rites of Passage Tattoo, who also said fans were making bookings for tribute tattoos, such as of jerseys and team numbers.[105] Mark Antonichuk, a passer-by from Moose Jaw who was one of the first on the scene, had the team's logo tattooed onto his back under the words "With You on the Scene" and above the words "With You Forever".[106]

On April 27, 2018, a Country Thunder Humboldt Broncos tribute concert was planned. It was held in Saskatoon, and some NHL players attended.[107][108] Clint Jackson, an artist associated with the Olds Mavericks, created an artwork to commemorate the victims; the piece is a set of wings encasing two hockey sticks, with the faces of the dead airbrushed in the interior. At least one survivor, Graysen Cameron, a previous Olds player, has signed the piece, and it was delivered to Humboldt by the artist.[109]

A crowdfunding effort was launched by Humboldt resident Sylvie Kellington within hours of the collision to support victims and their families, and raised more than $1 million within 24 hours, and $4 million by the next day.[110] On April 18, it reached $15,185,502,[111] making it Canada's largest GoFundMe campaign and the second largest in the history of the site.[112][113] Public discussion on the use of funds raised coincided with the Humboldt Broncos using the services of a Western Canada law firm, MLT Aikins, for assistance. Consideration of possible future NHL salaries to home renovations for disabled access were part of public discussion.[114] The GoFundMe campaign closed on April 18, 2018, at 11:59 p.m. MST, and the Bronco's President Kevin Garinger met with the media to announce a plan for managing the donations.[115]

Under the newly formed Humboldt Broncos Memorial Fund Inc., the funds will be disbursed through a committee that will work with the team and establish how the funds will be disbursed. After the campaign ends, the GoFundMe page will stay live to allow the team to continue to update the public on the progress of allocating the funds.[116] At least one family of a survivor has commented on how the money should be split between the victims. The father of Ryan Straschnitzki has suggested that it be divided evenly to all 29 victims.[117]

On May 17, the committee announced that it would begin the process of distributing the funds raised through the GoFundMe campaign. Under Saskatchewan law, money raised through a public appeal must follow regulations that include appointing a supervising judge, submitting a proposed court order for fund allocation, and recommending a timeline for the distribution.[118] In November 2018, the committee recommended that funds were distributed almost equally among survivors and the families of the deceased. The final recommendation was for families of the deceased to receive $50,000 more than the survivors. Including $50,000 preliminary disbursements, the families of the deceased received a total of $525,000, while each survivor received $475,000.[119] While some statements supporting an even distribution of funds were made, the committee decided against that, due to "a huge difference in emotional circumstances between most of the families who lost a loved one and most of the families who did not."[119]

Fundraisers and donations outside of the GoFundMe will go to the Humboldt Strong Community Foundation, created with legal counsel from Robertson Stromberg LLP. The Foundation's mission will be to support the Broncos' players, employees, families, and volunteers, as well as first responders, emergency personnel, teams, athletes, organizations, and community affected by the crash and the aftermath.[120]

The Canalta Hotel offered free rooms to family members travelling to Saskatchewan after the crash and provided food and support.[121] Restaurants handed out free food, and servers from other restaurants in the chain of Boston Pizza came to cover the shifts of workers in Humboldt who had been friends with team members.[122] Other groups such as STARS Air Ambulance and Ronald McDonald House, were credited by family members of those injured for providing support after the accident and during family members' recovery.[123]

Wounded Warriors Canada have offered support for the first responders involved with the crash. An online fundraising campaign started by Wounded Warriors Canada and TEMA Conter Memorial Trust raised over $110,000 for Humboldt's first responders.[124] Tim Hortons, a Canadian fast-food company, raised $800,000 selling yellow and green sprinkle doughnuts, the proceeds of which were donated to the Humboldt Broncos.[125]

Toledo Walleye players and coaches raised $6,040 through a jersey auction during their April 13, 2018 game and then raised the donation total to $10,000 through the teams Walleye Wishing Well charity fund.[126] Family members and friends of those injured and killed have also created their own fundraisers, such as a four-on-four hockey tournament, memorial funds for scholarship use, and medical funds.[123]

The Atlanta Gladiators organization raised $4,200 through an auction of a stick signed by the team and the Greenville Swamp Rabbits, a game-worn Davis Vandane jersey, and a matching donation from the Gladiators for Kids foundation.[127][128]

A fake GoFundMe that mimicked the initial one that benefited the entire team was discovered and reported by a Vancouver woman, who grew suspicious when she noticed the account had only $1,300 donated, while the original had over $8 million at the time.[129] Families of those who died due to the accident discovered a website with error-filled obituaries of 11 of the 16 victims; the public could then purchase an online memorial candle or flowers, although the money would not be donated.[130] In addition, a fake Twitter account and GoFundMe account were set up under the name of one of the more vocal injured players, Ryan Straschnitzki.[131]

The Saskatchewan government hired a private consulting firm to do a safety assessment of the intersection where the crash occurred, after the RCMP and Ministry of Highways finished their crash investigation.[145] The consultants note that the existing "alignment of trees, power poles and the horizon could lead to "tunnel vision" for drivers"; in particular a group trees on private property, which "obstructs the view of drivers approaching from the south and east -- the same directions the bus and semi-trailer were coming from when they collided". Human fatigue was also considered, since "motorists travelling Highway 335 could assume it's an uncontrolled intersection and "overlook" the stop sign...since it's the only major intersection for more than 20 kilometres in either direction". The government said it would implement the full list of recommendations, include Highway 335 rumble strips, and widened shoulders.[12][146][147]

In May 2018, the Humboldt Broncos took steps to be ready for the start of the next hockey season by looking to replace positions that had been lost through the accident, as well as an invitation-only camp in Saskatoon.[148] On July 3, 2018, the team introduced Nathan Oystrick as their new head coach.[149]

The club played their first home game of the 2018–19 season on September 12 against Nipawin, which was televised nationally by TSN, and simulcast by CTV's Saskatchewan stations, as well as NHL Network in the United States.[150][151] Most of the surviving players were in attendance and following the game, the numbers of all players on the bus were formally retired by the team. For players who are still active or planned to return to the Broncos (Brayden Camrud, Derek Patter, and Tyler Smith), they will retain their number while active, and they will be retired after the conclusion of their careers with the team. Despite scoring the first goal of the game, the Broncos lost the season opener by the score of 2–1.[152]

In March 2019, Logan Schatz's hometown of Allan, Saskatchewan, renamed its local arena to the Logan Schatz Memorial Arena.[153][154]