Anna Marie D'Angelo News Reporter adangelo@usnews.com DR. Asif Ali Syed claimed it was his high blood Pressure aid a stuck accelerator and not drunk dri- ving that caused him to smash into a Park Royal Storefront two times and cause a five-vehicle pileup. The 67-year-o1 pathologist and West Vancouver resident: was charged with impsired driving causing bodily harm relating to events thaz occurred shardy after Lp mon a weekend Last Now, 7. He was also charged with having a bleod alcohol level greater than 08. A week ago, in Norih Vancouver provincial court, witnesses were ready to testift at Syed "s trial, Instead his lawyer Alastair Wade and Crown lawyer Mark Rowan negotiated a plea bargain. Syed pleaded not guilty wo his original charg s. He pleaded guilty to the lesser or included offence of unlawiuil y causing bodily har under the Criminal Code. He also pleaded guilty to the provincial Motor Vehicle Act (MVA) infraction of driving without consideration. The plea bargained charges and the defence lawyer's suggested sentence of a conditional discharge would cnable Syed te leave court without a criminal record. Judge Reginald Grandison did not go fora conditional dis- charge on the Criminal Code offence. He tined Syed $600 on each Blood alcchoi evidence noi presented after plea bargain charge. “Phe judge did not issue a driving prohibition, but one is usually imposed through the provincial authsirities relating, te the MIVA conviction. The judge had questions about the court information. Said Grandson, “Other than he drove into a wall twice and smashed inte five cars, he had ae evidence of impairmen??” Crown lawver Rowan was reluctant to sav Sved's blood alvohol devel. Rowan and Sved"s lawyer agreed the blood aleahol would not be revealed in court. Rowan desenbed Syed’s blood ateobol level as “well in excess of the fegal liniit.* Said Sved to the judge, “Pan sorry but to drink that night or that day, maybe my high blood pressure The medical doctor later said: that hypertension could: cause hypoxia and disonentation, Grandison asked Syed to explain the smell of alcohol on his breath, Said Syed. Ldn’ know about thar” Crown lawyer Rowan said that Syed had patted his 1993 Range Rover inte a stall in troat at the General Paint sore at Park Royal Shopping Centre’s south math Sved drove over the fee standing I dict't have anything icle crash» concrete curb and bit the store “Not se hard the first time,” said K: mai. Rowan-said the doctor thea reversea the vehicle ia a westerh arc. He hit five cars starting with a: Bird. Uhe third car hit in the “domino” collision was a Honda Accord, The driver of the Hionda, Mahin Danesh-Baknsh, was outside her vehicle. She sus- tained a fracture toa lunbar vertebra ascd other injuries. Sved then drove forward and sinashed into the General Paint store again. This time he hit the store se hard shelves moved and - industrial paint spied on the floor, said Rowan, There were many witiesses. Syed stoad by his smashed vehicle and said his accelerator malfunctioned. He failed the roadside ning test for aleohol use, Danesh: Baknsh was on the ground ‘ ing te ber chit on a cellphone lent to her by someone at the mall, Sved's lawyer said the pathologist was asked to go to the gro- cory store to buy faod by his sister with whom he resided. Wade cated Sved “an upstanding member of the community.” Wade went over Syed's impressive medical career, Sved was born am Pakistan and educated in the United States. Wade did not mention | any Vancotiver hospitais: conneeted to. Syed's employment. Geandison said that Syed did net appear to acknowledge his guilt filly. “Is Dr. Sved When he is drusk at neon on a Sunday,” said Grandison. Wade said there was no indication the pathologist was an alcohedic. Deana Lancaster ‘News Reporter dlancaster@nsnews.cont ‘AMBLESIDE Village || is the perfect spot for i ay an.autumn stroll. = Many longtime lucals say : “it’s thanks ‘to one man that Ambleside “is ‘such. a” pretty neighbourhood. > Bill Irwin, who passed away Sept: 24, was the driving ” force behind the Ambleside: * Revitalization’ Project that = took’ place in-the-late "80s.° . Today, would have: been his.” 90th birthday. ° “He was a man with a big heart; a man of strong opin: ions, a man_ of action,” said’, “his-friend. and former.: West FI See Vancouver ~ alderman, © Alex | BILL IRWIN ‘ Brokenshire. “He was a man-, : who could drive through twiv- “ja and reach objectives.” Revitalizing the area frem 13th Street to 19th Street was “g massive >. project, said Brokenshire: “Without Bill it never would have happened.” And in getting it all done, * he’ stepped "on some toes. Detractors may have. called hima harsh man. “And maybe. somerimes .he was,” said Brokenshire. “But he was > also kind, and there are many “> in this community who bene- -. fited quietly, without fanfare; “from that kindness.” : The Irwins .moved into = the suite above: their Village -> Fish Marker: more: than 50 — “ years ago. Bill was-a world- “dass tenor) and an, accom- «plished marathoner. - He had two abiding loves, _ gay those who knew him: his ‘wife Jeanette, and the District - of West. Vancouver. Photo submitted CAPTAIN James Cook (Kelvin Andrew) presents Pierre Elliott Trudeau with a commemorative railroad spike ._ during the Royal Hudson Discover British Columbia Tour 1978. : ; hen Capt. Cook met Tru _sented a limired edition railroad spike | to then Prime Minister, ; “Annette Martin Contributing Writer CAPTAIN Cook still remembers the day he g gave Pierre Elliort Trudeau the spike. In the spring of 1978, Captain James Cook, also known as North Shore resident, Kelvin Andrew, set off from Vancouver ‘with the Royal Hudson train and an open house invitation to “Discover British Columbia.” : The Tourism British Columbia project; celebrating . the bicentennial of Captain James, Cook, “visited 16 cities in Canada and the United States,” said Andrew. "Bur, the highlight of the tour for Andrew was the day he pre- Escape van damaged. "From page 1 A drying pool of blood cbscured the top of the lottery-tick- Vet display on the checkout counter and droplets of blood were spattered across the linoleum from the counter to the double front doors. | There“ was no comment from store employees, onc: ‘of whain stayed behind the counter and talked on the telephone while police questioned people outside. The suspects left in a light metallic blue minivan. The vehi- ocle-hit a building as it took off south on Mountain Highway. The van’s driver’s side window was smashed and there was damage to front and right sides of the vehicle. Anyone. with information: is -asked to call the North Vanicouver RCMP at t985- 131) and refer to case: : 2000: 33223. eau Pierre Elliott Trudeau. The spikes, mementos of the bicentennial tour from ‘the British Columbia government, were given to mayors sand digni- taries at every stop on the train’s route.: “What | remember most about our two-day stay in Ottawa is Trudeau’s overwhelming charisma, and the screaming women who surrounded the Prime Minister “wherever he went. He had such an aura about him,” said Andrew.: After the presentation, Trudeau introduced Captain Cook” and his entourage to House Speaker Madame Sauvé 2t the 33rd. sitting of Parliament. Later that day, the two: oldest Trudeau sons, “Justin and Sacha, were permitted tot tour the historic Roval Hudson. NEWS photo Jan-Ghristian Sorensen ..° RESCUE venicies ‘responded en masse. to the Monday evening attack in Lynn Valley. : Corporate | decision based on profits ply. weren't profitable enough. “It was the bottom line,” “he said. “Ic’s a corporate deci- sion and there was: nothing | could do about it” : Kothlow, who bought out his father’s interesé in the for- mer. Gulf station about ten’ years ago, said that four frone- vend employees were. laid off - asa result of she closure. “Some Sof them have found other. employment and there's a couple of kids who “go to school w ho are unem-- ployed right iow.” Three ‘employees will remain on staff to work out of. “the Certigard side of the busi- ness alongside Kothlow, On Friday, fencing went up around the pumps as the “corporation © went) to work siphoning. the last “of: the.” product out of the station’s |.” _ holding tanks. . Kothlow said a a number of his ‘steady customers: have stopped by the store, wonder- - - ing whar has happening at the station.) 7 ME had: people coming. in (on Saturday) asking = me° ‘What's: guing an?’ They’ve been & dealing, there » for. umpteen years.” ” Eventually the © pumps, zanks’ and canopy will be: removed and some landscap- ‘ing and paving done. Kothlow is ‘not planning on expanding his service bays ° to take advantage: of the added room.” He said the closure of the Petro Can~ pumps will -no.. doubt’ spell a.bvost.in busi-: ness .for the competing. Chevron. station and garage just- down: the street on corner of Edgemont . and Crescentview. ” “The (Chevron) “owner. >, came to sec me. and he was. sad to see that they” were los=" ing. the ~ pumps,” |.said ~ Kothlow. “He’s: so. busy. and thefe’s just so many litres you can pump as it-is and then “you’ve got a site that’s closing in. the area: and: (business): . doubles: You j just can’t handle it all.” ;