Inquest reopens scrutiny of deadly wrong-way Highway 1 crash in Chilliwack

A coroner’s inquest is now underway into a deadly wrong-way crash on Highway 1 in Chilliwack, B.C., that claimed the lives of three people nearly five years ago.

The inquest is examining the deaths of 35-year-old Gabriel Johnson Choi, 29-year-old Hasan Khaled Ayyad, and 43-year-old Allison Dawn Gilchrist, who were killed in the early morning hours of Dec. 29, 2020.

According to investigators, Ayyad was driving at high speed in the wrong direction along the eastbound lanes of Highway 1 between Chilliwack and Hope. An RCMP officer spotted the vehicle just after 4 a.m. and began a pursuit.

Several minutes later, the wrong-way vehicle collided head-on with another car. Ayyad and his passenger, Gilchrist, were killed at the scene. Choi, the driver of the other vehicle, was rushed to hospital but later died from his injuries.

A subsequent investigation cleared the pursuing officer of any wrongdoing. Now, nearly five years later, a coroner’s jury is reviewing the circumstances of the crash and may issue recommendations aimed at preventing similar tragedies. Coroner’s juries do not determine fault, and their recommendations are not legally binding.

Family members of the victims gave emotional testimony at the opening of the inquest.

Stormie Choi spoke about her younger brother Gabriel, a federal corrections officer who served on an emergency response team. She described him as creative, funny, and full of life, with a deep love for hip-hop and breakdancing.

“His laughter and his larger-than-life spirit are a loss our family will feel forever,” she said.

Barbara Empson, the mother of Allison Gilchrist, remembered her daughter for her warmth and radiating smile. She also spoke about Gilchrist’s struggles with mental health, which made maintaining close communication increasingly difficult over time.

“Her life, with all its beautiful moments and difficult chapters, left a lasting impact on those who knew her,” Empson said.

The inquest also heard from now-retired RCMP Staff Sgt. Philip Neetz, who was the watch commander on duty the night of the crash. He described the police response and the decision-making process during the pursuit.

Neetz testified that officers attempted to deploy a spike belt to stop the wrong-way vehicle, but the driver avoided it. He also said he issued an order for the pursuing officer to terminate the chase due to growing safety concerns as the vehicle approached more populated areas.

However, that order was never properly received.

“I don’t know why it came through faint,” Neetz told the inquest. “I still don’t understand that.”

He explained that in fast-moving pursuit situations, heavy radio traffic can overwhelm officers and interfere with communications.

The inquest is scheduled to continue until Dec. 19, with further testimony expected on police pursuit policies, risk assessments, and emergency response protocols.