Man accused of impaired driving causing death opts for trial by P.E.I. Supreme Court judge [Video]

The case of a 26-year-old man charged with four counts of impaired driving causing death will now be heard in P.E.I. Supreme Court. 

Thommachen Thomas Panackal, 26, did not appear in Summerside Provincial Court on Wednesday, but his lawyer made the election on his behalf, also waving any preliminary hearings and opting for the case to be heard by judge alone — no jury.

Panackal is facing five charges in total: two counts of impaired driving causing death, two counts of driving with over 80 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood causing death, and one count of driving with a …