Inquiry determines deaths in fiery 2010 crash accidental

Emergency crews attend the scene in June 2010.

A public inquiry into a fatal crash that killed two men is complete and has concluded that the actions of emergency responders that night did not contribute to their deaths.

Byron Gray, 29, and his 18-year-old nephew, Ryan Gray, were killed after the Jeep Grand Cherokee they were in smashed into a house and burst into flames on June 10, 2010.

Bryon Gray was pronounced dead at the scene and Ryan Gray was taken to hospital but later died.

A public fatality inquiry was launched and determined that both men died from multiple blunt force injuries and the manner of death was classified as accidental.

The inquiry found that the jeep was travelling at about 154 km/h on Regal Crescent N.W. when the driver lost control and crashed into a tree and then a house at 808 10 Street N.E.

Calgary police Cst. Jens Lind says he noticed the vehicle at about 1:00 a.m. and checked to see if it was stolen. A computer inquiry showed that there was no record that the vehicle had been stolen so he let the vehicle continue on its way.

Cst. Lind told the inquiry that he then noticed that the occupants did not fit the description of the vehicle’s registered owner so he decided to stop the vehicle.

He followed the Jeep for several blocks and then activated his lights and siren. At this point the jeep accelerated and Lind says he believed the vehicle was intentionally evading police.

The officer located the Jeep a few minutes later embedded into the wall of the house and called for emergency crews. He approached the vehicle and saw that the windshield was cracked, the air bags had deployed and the passenger door was jammed shut.

According to the report, Cst. Lind found it hard to tell if there was anyone in the vehicle because of the tinted windows.

A male and female were in the house when the crash happened and the officer reassured them that help was on the way. While he was calling for assistance, a fire started in the engine compartment of the damaged Jeep.

Cst. Lind says he grabbed a fire extinguisher from his vehicle and sprayed the engine. He then got a better look inside and saw the unconscious driver was pinned in the vehicle and would need to be extracted by the fire department.

He opened the rear passenger door and found a second man lying motionless across the seats. He was concerned about moving the man because of possible injuries and decided to wait for EMS to attend.

The officer determined that the danger of aggravating the injuries to the passenger was greater that the danger posed by the engine fire so he continued to fight the fire.

The fire was being fed by fuel from the Jeep and was flaring higher so the officer asked the dispatcher to rush the fire department and used up all the extinguishers at his disposal.

When Ems arrived, the officer told them about the two occupants in the Jeep and while they prepared their equipment, he returned to the Jeep.

The flames increased and Cst. Lind believed that the vehicle was at immediate risk of being totally engulfed in flames and exploding so he pulled the passenger from the backseat of the smashed vehicle and passed him over to EMS.

The fire department was able to extinguish the fire shortly after they arrived and used the Jaws of Life to extract the body of the driver.

The passenger was taken to hospital by EMS but later died from his injuries.

The medical examiner’s toxicology report concluded that ethanol intoxication was a significant contributing factor in Byron Gray’s death. His urine analysis showed alcohol levels of 210mg/100ml. Blood tests also indicated that he had recently consumed cocaine and cannabis.

An analysis of Ryan Gray’s blood also indicated high alcohol levels.

The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team conducted the inquiry and determined that the actions of Cst. Lind did not contribute in any way to the deaths of the two men.

The report concluded that it was Byron Gray’s driving at excessive speeds and the subsequent loss of control of the vehicle that led to his and his nephew’s death.

To read the complete report, visit the Alberta Justice and Solicitor General website.