RCMP: Riders’ Jayden Dalke drove wrong way before fatal crash, had alcohol and cannabis in vehicle

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The Saskatchewan Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) have released details regarding the fatal car crash involving Roughriders’ linebacker Jayden Dalke and Bhishma Rajyaguru.

According to the RCMP: on July 18, 2026 at 9 p.m., Lumsden RCMP received a report of a two-vehicle collision on Highway No. 11 between Lumsden and Regina.

Officers responded, along with local fire and emergency medical services. 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. Officers located alcohol and cannabis in the silver SUV. Autopsies and toxicology will be conducted as part of the ongoing investigation.

The drivers, who were the sole occupants of the vehicles, were declared deceased by emergency medical services at the scene. The driver of the black SUV has been identified as 22-year-old Bhishma Rajyaguru from Regina; his family has been notified. The driver of the silver SUV has been identified as 30-year-old Jayden Dalke from Leduc, AB; his family has been notified.

The Lumsden RCMP continue to investigate the collision with assistance from a Saskatchewan RCMP collision reconstructionist.

“I can tell you that we received a report around 8:27 p.m. from a business in Lumsden of a silver SUV leaving without paying for fuel that same day, about 30 minutes prior. Investigation has determined that this was the same silver SUV that was involved in the collision,” Mandy Maier, Saskatchewan RCMP director of strategic communications said during a press conference on Monday.

“Now, because this is part of the ongoing investigation, I don’t have more information to provide in terms of that detail, but we did receive a report. In terms of erratic driving or the silver vehicle going the wrong way, no. We only received the report of the collision occurring.”

According to the Lumsden Fire Department: at 9:01 p.m. local time on July 18 2026, Lumsden Fire was dispatched to a two vehicle crash east of Lumsden on Highway 11. Upon our arrival we encountered one vehicle in the centre median and one in the southbound ditch. One male patient was pulled from the vehicle in the southbound ditch by bystanders, LFD members took over CPR from bystanders. Patient was later declared deceased on scene by EMS. One male patient was entrapped in the vehicle in the centre meridian and was declared deceased on scene by EMS.

Dalke had returned to the lineup in Week 6 after missing time with a hand injury. He appeared in two games this season, but had yet to register a tackle.

He played all 18 regular-season games for the Roughriders in 2025, making three defensive tackles and 13 special teams tackles. No. 38 dressed for the West Final and Grey Cup, but did not register any statistics.

The six-foot-one, 200-pound defender was originally a sixth-round pick in the 2022 CFL Draft out of the University of Alberta. He has since played 68 regular-season CFL games, making 69 defensive tackles, 31 special teams tackles, three forced fumbles, one sack, and one interception.

Prior to turning pro, Dalke made 94 total tackles, seven pass knockdowns, three interceptions, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery over 16 games with the Golden Bears, earning two first-team Canada West all-star selections, a first-team U Sports All-Canadian selection in 2019, and a second-team U Sports All-Canadian selection in 2021. He previously played for the Edmonton Wildcats of the Canadian Junior Football League.