And a couple of columns from Christie Blatchford, outlining the results of an engineering survey of the intersection, and some of the legal principles that the driver could potentially have relied upon:
Trucker in Humboldt crash had a defence, but he chose to do the right thing
Stark acceptance of responsibility by Humboldt crash trucker is something rarely seen now
It’s hard to read that without tearing up.
Your second link doesn’t appear to go anywhere.
Northern Piper: your second URL is bad.
Does Canada have mandatory minimums or sentencing guidelines restricting the sentence which can be imposed?
I don’t want this to come across wrong, but I have this curious mix of gratitude and pride towards Mr. Sidhu for his guilty plea. Thank you, Mr. Sidhu, for accepting responsibility for your actions.
Agreed. As the article states he could have fought this for a number of reasons. He did the honourable thing and saved the families the grief of a drawn-out trial.
:smack:
Compassion; I left out compassion: I feel compassion for Mr. Sidhu now.
Accepting responsibility in this way will definitely be a mitigating factor in sentencing.
Sorry for the bad link:
Yeah, me too. He didn’t purposely do this. It’s gotta hurt like hell for him.
I know he’s guilty, but…
The offence is “Dangerous operation of a motor vehicle”, Criminal Code, s. 249.
There are no minimum sentences. For dangerous driving causing bodily harm, the maximum is up to 10 years.
For dangerous driving causing death, the maximum is 14 years.
We don’t have sentencing guidelines in the same way as in the US. Instead, sentences can be appealed by either Crown or defence, and the appellate courts in each province have a supervisory jurisdiction to ensure that the same sentencing principles are applied, within a range of acceptable sentences.
A somewhat similar case (albeit with fewer casualties, though I don’t think that’s legally relevant) a few years back resulted in concurrent 3-year sentences. A semi piled into the back of a line of vehicles stopped in a construction zone, killing 3 people. The driver pled guilty to 3 counts of dangerous driving causing death, saying that he had zoned out and didn’t see the construction signs. I think it’s plausible to expect a similar sentence in this case.
Morgan Gobeil is the final person to go home from hospital. He was released on Monday. To say his future is going to be challenging is an understatement. However, the first major hurdle has been cleared. Here is wishing you the best going forward.
Logan Boulet was one of the players who died in the crash. Some time before the crash, he became an organ donor. His action inspired many others to do the same after the crash, and the movement garnered international attention.
The latest issue of Sports Illustrated pays homage to the “Logan Effect,” and features Boulet’s jersey draped over a hockey net:
Somehow, I think every newsstand in Lethbridge (Logan’s hometown) will sell out of copies of SI quickly.
Gulp.
There’s something in my eye.
Almost a year in the hospital. I can’t even imagine. At least he can leave it.
Makes me wonder what his injuries were, that he would need a year in the hospital.
And the Broncos MAKE THE PLAYOFFS!
I wish the young man well - he still has a hard road ahead of him.
And it’s a sad anniversary in the Province today.
We’re hearing “Big League” by Tom Cochrane a lot.
Memorial service on right now. Choir is singing “On Eagles’ Wings”.