A driver accused of striking a little girl in a Saanich intersection last year, leaving her with serious and long-lasting injuries, has been charged with dangerous driving .
Court documents show Tenessa Nikirk, 21, faces one count of dangerous driving causing bodily harm in the Dec. 20 crash at Ash Road and Torquay Drive.
Leila Bui, who was 11 at the time, was on her way to school in the morning when she was struck by an SUV in the intersection.
She suffered severe brain damage among other injuries, and was put into an induced coma for a time during her six-month hospital stay.
Bui returned to her home in June, but family members said she still had a long way to go in her recovery.
Bui's family has also launched civil legal action against Nikirk and the District of Saanich.
According to a notice of civil claim filed in June, Bui's family claims Nikirk was negligent in the crash by failing to keep a proper lookout, failing to keep the vehicle under control, driving at an unlawful rate of speed, and failing to hit the brakes or take evasive action in the moments before Bui was struck.
None of the allegations against Nikirk have been tested or proven in court.
The civil suit also claims that Saanich contributed to the collision by permitting a "public nuisance" in the form of trees and other foliage that obstructed the view of motorists and pedestrians at the Ash and Torquay intersection.
Since the crash, changes have been made to the area including improved lighting and the installation of a pedestrian-activated crosswalk.
The notice of civil claim goes on to detail Bui's injuries, including "catastrophic" brain injury, a ruptured spleen, fractured vertebrae, neck injuries and rib fractures, among others.
Nikirk will next appear in court Nov. 7, 2018.
