Calgary father pleads guilty to killing teen in hit-and-run crash over 'beef' with son
Udham Sandhu, 39, plead guilty in the death last year of Ibaad Yar, 15
A Calgary father pleaded guilty to manslaughter Wednesday, admitting he killed a teenager who was having an "online beef" with his son.
Udham Sandhu, 39, was driving his Buick while shooting a CO2 pellet gun during a high-speed car chase with 15-year-old Ibaad Yar in May 2020, reaching speeds of more than 130 km/h on inner-city streets.
Sandhu was originally charged with second-degree murder. Prosecutor Richelle Freiheit and defence lawyer Balfour Der negotiated a plea to the lesser offence of manslaughter. Provincial court Judge Harry Van Harten will make a finding of guilt at the next court date.
Eight members of Yar's family were in court Wednesday for the plea.
Brick-throwing incident
Details of the crime were read aloud by Freiheit.
The day before he died, Yar and his friends showed up at the Sandhu home and threw a brick at the family's car, damaging the windshield.
Sandhu called police but officers never showed up.
The next night, Sandhu's son and Yar made a plan to meet at a nearby school to settle what was described in the agreed facts as an "online beef."
Before the planned meeting, one of Yar's friends sent a message to Sandhu's son saying they would return to the home and throw another brick.
'Break his leg with a bat,' said Yar
An Instagram Live video showed Yar and his friends in a back alley nearby.
When Sandhu learned of the plan, he said "let's go, let's go," and got behind the wheel of his Buick with others in the passenger seats. They were armed with the CO2 gun, bear spray and two poles.
Yar was driving the other vehicle, a Dodge Journey. The people in the SUV were armed with bats and Yar had a knife. He told his passengers the plan was to "stab him," "beat him" and "break his leg with that bat."
Once Yar and his friends arrived at the school, Sandhu started following and then chasing the Dodge.
For about 30 minutes, the two vehicles sped around the city's northeast, sometimes on residential streets, reaching speeds of up to 157 km/h.
Sandhu shooting while driving
While he was driving, Sandhu was firing the pellet gun at the Dodge.
During the chase, Sandhu hit the Dodge two to three times, according to the accident report.
The final impact happened around 2:30 a.m., when the Buick tried to pass the Dodge on 52nd Street at 16th Avenue N.E.
"It's not clear from the physical evidence which vehicle swerved into the other, although witness statements suggest the Dodge veered into the Buick."
Sandhu then steered to the right, "against the contact," causing Yar to lose control of his vehicle.
Yar thrown from vehicle
The Dodge spun, crossed two lanes of traffic and came to rest in a green space on the east side of 52nd Street.
Yar, who was not wearing a seatbelt, according to the accident report, was thrown from the SUV and likely hit a metal electrical control box in the green space.
He died at the scene.
A 15-year-old passenger, badly injured, was lying near Yar.
Sandhu got out of his car and began beating the other victim, kicking him between the legs and in the stomach before pepper spraying the injured teen.
On his way home, Sandhu called his son and said, "It's been dealt with. Everything has happened."
Sandhu later told police, "If you guys had come yesterday, this would not have happened. It would have made a big difference."
A date for the sentencing hearing will be set Thursday.