Saskatoon parents launch lawsuit, driver pleads guilty in fatal e-scooter crash

WATCH: The parents of a 25-year-old Saskatoon man who was hit and killed while riding an electric scooter last summer have filed a lawsuit.

The parents of a 25-year-old Saskatoon man who was hit and killed while riding an electric scooter last summer have filed a lawsuit.

Chet and Tera Walker are suing the driver, the scooter company Bird Canada and the city of Saskatoon, alleging negligence. A statement of defence has not been filed.

Their son, Austin Walker, was hit and killed on Warman Road near the Circle Drive overpass on June 20, 2024. Walker was on his way home from his friend’s house after watching hockey.

The driver, Wade Chaboyer, has pleaded guilty to impaired driving causing death and failing to remain at the scene.

He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 30 under a joint submission.

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In their lawsuit, the Walkers allege Bird Canada was negligent by allowing scooters to be operated on roads with speed limits over 50 km/h.

They claim the city was negligent for “requiring e-scooter riders to use dangerous roadways” and failed to work with the scooter company to establish “no-go zones.”

The suit further alleges Chaboyer was “driving at an excessive speed for the conditions” and failed to “avoid a collision that was foreseeable and preventable.”

The allegations have not been tested in court.

The family is seeking $60,000 in damages.