Pilot from fatal hang-gliding accident to appear in court

William Jon Orders is seen in this undated image.

A hang-glider pilot is facing a charge of criminal negligence causing death nearly a year after a passenger fell more than 300 metres in B.C.'s Fraser Valley.

A court list says William Orders will appear in a Chilliwack, B.C., court on Monday on that charge as well as one count of obstructing justice.

A friend of Lenami Godinez-Avila said she wasn’t surprised with the new charge, and that the reminder of her friend’s death is tough for friends and family.

“Lenami was wonderful, she was so giving and so caring,” said Kat Louman-Gardiner. “She wanted to share her gifts with the world.”

The accident took place April 28, 2012 when Godinez-Avila, who was a passenger on a tandem flight with Orders, slipped out of her harness about 30 seconds after takeoff.

Following the tragedy, police held Orders in custody for a week on an accusation that he had swallowed a digital video disk that investigators considered key evidence. At the time, police didn’t rule out further charges.

The Hang Gliding Association of Canada determined pilot error was to blame in the accident, and that Orders missed critical pre-launch safety checks.

The 27-year-old Godinez-Avila had been celebrating her two-year anniversary with her boyfriend Dave Barrie, who witnessed the horrific event unfold.

“I’m in very close touch with Dave,” Louman-Gardiner said. “He’s working through it. It’s tough on everybody.”

The new charge of criminal negligence carries a maximum life sentence, but that is rarely used.

Orders had released a statement that he is sincerely and deeply sorry and wished the day would have turned out differently.

A scholarship fund set up in Godinez-Avila’s honour has already raised more than $35,000 and the first award will be given in September, Louman-Gardiner said.

With files from CTV British Columbia’s Scott Bills and The Canadian Press