A Kelowna-area man who has pled not guilty to a single charge of criminal negligence in the operation of a motor vehicle causing death was ordered to stand trial last week at a preliminary hearing held in Golden provincial court.

Rodney Williamson, 20, was charged following the Aug. 29, 2004 collision that claimed the lives of Canmore locals Sean Grennan, Martha Mills and Peter Ambler on the Trans-Canada Highway, west of Golden, B.C.

The trio was returning from a wedding in B.C. when the crash occurred.

During the day-and-a-half-long hearing that took place last Wednesday and part of Thursday, Judge Don Carlgren heard from four witnesses, including an RCMP accident reconstruction expert and an attending officer, before ordering Williamson to stand trial.

Williamson waived his right to a jury trial this summer when he elected to be tried by provincial court judge alone.

He is scheduled to appear at the next scheduled Supreme Court sitting in Cranbrook, B.C. on Jan. 23 at 2 p.m. to set a date for trial, unless a date is set earlier. The trial is expected to take up to five days.

A publication ban is in effect on all evidence revealed at last week?s hearing.