Driver pleads guilty for crash that left two UBC students dead

A driver has pleaded guilty to two counts of dangerous driving causing death in connection with a crash that killed two 18-year-old students at the University of British Columbia Vancouver campus.

Tim Carl Robert Goerner pleaded guilty on October 16. His sentencing is scheduled for November 6.

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The victims were Emily Selwood and Evan Smith. They were walking on NW Marine Drive when they were struck by a car just before 2 am on September 26, 2021.

In a statement, the Smith family said that no matter the court outcome, their “hearts will forever be broken.”

Smith’s family had dropped him off on campus just weeks before his death, and he was just steps from his university residents when he was hit.

“In that terrible moment, because of someone’s deliberate decision to drive after drinking, our son’s lifelong plans, dreams and goals will never be realized. This heinous act of selfishness and stupidity made our worst nightmare come true,” his parents said.

Selwood’s family wants her remembered as more than a statistic — they want to highlight what she accomplished in her short life. She grew up on Vancouver Island and had a passion for service and the social sciences, which led her to UBC.

“Our daughter… was killed in a preventable tragedy… Let us tell you that nothing prepares you for the notification of your child’s death, especially one that was so avoidable,” her family said.