Cannabis, alcohol found in SUV of Saskatchewan Roughrider involved in fatal collision

Saskatchewan Roughriders captain Jayden Dalke was driving the wrong way on Highway 11 when he caused a fatal head-on collision Saturday night, according to Saskatchewan RCMP. The 30-year-old linebacker died at the scene around 9 p.m. on Highway 11 between Lumsden and Regina. The other driver, a 22-year-old from Regina identified as Bhishma Rajyaguru, also died.

RCMP spokesperson Mandy Maier stated that officers discovered alcohol and cannabis in the silver SUV Dalke was operating. She noted that the investigation is ongoing, with autopsies and toxicology reports ordered. The collision reconstruction investigation is expected to take months.

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You never left a conversation with Jayden where you didn’t feel happy, positive. (He was) someone that was always smiling, never had a bad day.

Maier also mentioned that police received a tip shortly before the crash about Dalke’s SUV allegedly being filled with gas and then driven away without payment from a Lumsden business. It remains unclear how long the SUV was traveling in the wrong lane, as no prior reports of an erratic driver were received.

Saskatchewan Roughriders’ general manager Jeremy O’Day remembered Dalke as a positive presence on the team. "You never left a conversation with Jayden where you didn’t feel happy, positive. (He was) someone that was always smiling, never had a bad day," O’Day said. The team plans to hold a tribute before their next game, and scheduled games will proceed as planned.

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Initial investigation determined a silver SUV and a black SUV collided. The silver SUV was travelling northbound in the southbound lane when the collision occurred.