B.C. Coroner’s Inquest Probes Deadly Wrong-Way Highway 1 Crash

Nearly five years after a deadly wrong-way crash on Highway 1 in B.C.’s Fraser Valley, a coroner’s inquest has begun examining the circumstances that led to the deaths of Gabriel Johnson Choi, 35, Hasan Khaled Ayyad, 29, and Allison Dawn Gilchrist, 43.

In the early hours of December 29, 2020, a vehicle traveling eastbound in the wrong lane between Chilliwack and Hope—about 120 kilometres east of Vancouver—was spotted by an RCMP officer shortly after 4 a.m. The car was traveling well above the speed limit, prompting a police pursuit.

Minutes later, the vehicle collided head-on with another car. Two people died at the scene, while a third succumbed to injuries in hospital. The B.C. Coroners Service confirmed that Ayyad was driving the wrong-way vehicle with Gilchrist as a passenger, while Choi was the driver of the other vehicle.

The Independent Investigations Office of B.C. cleared the pursuing officer of any wrongdoing in 2022, concluding that proper protocols were followed during the chase.

The current coroner’s inquest aims to examine the sequence of events and provide recommendations to prevent similar tragedies in the future. While coroner’s juries do not assign legal fault, their findings often influence safety and policing policies.

Family members shared emotional reflections at the inquest. Stormie Choi, Gabriel’s sister, described him as a gifted hip-hop artist, a breakdancer, and a federal corrections officer on the emergency response team. “He was one of the funniest people I knew,” she said via video call, adding that his loss has left a lasting void in their family.

Barbara Empson, mother of Gilchrist, remembered her daughter’s warmth and “radiating smile,” while also highlighting her struggles with mental health that made communication with loved ones difficult.

Now-retired RCMP Staff Sgt. Philip Neetz, who was the watch commander during the incident, testified that a spike belt was deployed in an attempt to stop the speeding vehicle, but Ayyad bypassed it. Neetz said he had ordered the pursuit to be ended due to the high risk near city limits, but the order came through faintly on the radio, and the chase continued.

“I don’t understand why the order came through faint,” Neetz said, noting that fast-moving situations and heavy radio traffic can make communication challenging for officers.

The inquest will continue as jurors examine the tragic crash, the police response, and ways to reduce the dangers associated with high-speed pursuits.