Trial for crash that killed two girls on a Manitoba highway is underway

A trial is underway in Dauphin, Man. for a 2019 crash that killed two young sisters.

On Aug. 16, 2019, Clare McBride was driving home from Dauphin around 8 p.m. when she said she was hit at the intersection of Road 147 N and Highway 362.

The crash killed her two daughters, six-year-old Oksana Dutchyshen and four-year-old Quinn Dutchyshen.

RCMP said a Ford F-150 was driving east on Road 147 when it went through the intersection of PR 362 and hit the side of a Dodge Ram driving northbound.

The two girls were taken to hospital in critical condition and later died from their injuries.

Nearly a year after the crash, Jack Winters was arrested and is facing 15 charges, including impaired driving causing death.

Family and friends of the girls gathered outside of the Dauphin Recreation Centre on Monday where the trial is taking place.

"I just keep telling myself I have to do this for the girls. This is one of my final acts as a mother," said McBride outside the centre Monday. "At the end of the day, this is not going to change my life. My girls are still gone. This is just something that has to be done."

The girls' dad, Justin, speaking on Sunday with CTV News said he hopes the truth is revealed during this trial.

"If you make a mistake, you should pay for it. That's the way I look at it. That's what I hope and I hope justice is served," said Justin.

He is also reminding parents to cherish every moment they have with their children.

"You never know when it could be the last. You would never expect something like this to happen."

At the time of the crash, RCMP said two people were in the Ford F-150 and both were seriously hurt. The other person in the truck with Winters has since died.

The defence is arguing that Winters wasn't driving the vehicle that hit the truck the girls were in.

The trial is expected to last two weeks and the charges against Winters have not been tested in court.

-With files from CTV News' Jill Macyshon