Quebec bus driver in fatal daycare crash found not criminally responsible

CBC News

· Posted: Apr 29, 2025 10:02 AM EDT | Last Updated: 2 minutes ago

Pierre Ny St-Amand, the 53-year-old man who crashed a bus into a daycare in Laval, Que., has been found not criminally responsible for his actions.

Both the Crown and the defence recommended Ny St-Amand be found not criminally responsible during the trial.

"In light of the evidence that was presented jointly, that was neither contradicted nor contested, it is undeniable that the bus driven by Pierre Ny St-Amand crashed into the daycare," Quebec Superior Court Justice Éric Downs said in his decision.

"The court is convinced beyond a reasonable doubt that the accused was dealing with mental health issues, namely psychosis, at the time of the event."

Ny St-Amand rammed the bus into the Laval daycare on Feb. 8, 2023, killing a four-year-old boy and a five-year-old girl. After the crash, Ny St-Amand stood inside the mangled bus and undressed, speaking and yelling incoherently before being subdued by parents on the scene.

He was charged with two counts of second-degree murder, as well as charges of assault with a weapon and assault causing bodily harm in relation to six other children who were injured.

This is a breaking news story. More to come.