jimf

Foolish thing to do but life in prison?

Canadian woman who stopped car to help ducks faces life in jail after causing fatal crash - Telegraph

Former Lancastrian

What the sentence says and what she will actually get are 2 different things.
Sort of like the 1st time burglar (break and enter) into your home.
Sentence can be life in prison but how often do you see that.

scrubbedexpat091

I will say its very doubtful the judge will give her anywhere close to life considering she has no criminal record and poses no real direct threat to society.


There are far more dangerous criminals purposely causing harm and not getting life or severe sentences, so I really don't see the judge throwing the book at this lady.

Alan2005

Er, shouldn't you be able to stop without crashing if another vehicle stops in front if you?

Former Lancastrian

Well yes but in this case the vehicle was parked. What I did find interesting was this bit from the story
Roy's motorcycle slammed into Czornobaj's car, which was stopped in the left lane of a provincial highway in Candiac, south of Montreal.
A provincial police officer testified at the trial that Roy, whose speed was estimated to be from 113 km/h to 129 km/h when he applied his brakes, collided with Czornobaj's car at between 105 km/h and 121 km/h.
The jury was told the speed was higher than the prescribed 90 km/h limit on the road.

Sometimes them brakes don't work as good as they should when you least expect it.

Alan2005

Sure, and stopping in the highway is stupid, but what if she'd just broken down? It seems to me that if you drive into the back of something then it is mostly (if not entirely) your fault. This doesn't sound like something that should have even gone to court, let alone being faced with a life sentence.

Former Lancastrian

Im not disagreeing but she had stopped not broken down and had not activated her hazard warning lights hence the negligence aspect.
Sure there was no intent but you can be reckless in a lot of things you do and thats why they got the conviction.
Basically they are saying she should have known better and taken more care in what she did.

bats

One report I read said she was stopped over the brow of a hill. But really both share blame, they should have been able to stop in time and she shouldn't have stopped for ducklings however cute.

Piff Poff

I think the motorcyclist is to blame myself. She could have broken down, would she be at fault then? It doesn't really matter why she had stopped imo, she had flashers on and had pulled over, the biker was speeding and not paying attention.

Unfortunately she is likely to serve more time than this guy Red Deer Advocate - Defiant Arens vows to appeal conviction in fatal crash

I'm off to another funeral in a little bit for another teen that was mown down by another careless driver, I don't think she has been charged with causing a death either.

Zoe Bell

I got the impression when I saw this on another forum I frequent that not only had she stopped her car on a highway but she was actually in the middle of the road trying to direct traffic around the ducks, thus causing a distraction that could have been a factor.

They crashed into the car rather than her.

TBH though I haven't read through all the details myself

kimilseung

Woman convicted for triggering deadly crash by helping ducks | Canada | News | T

bats

She was parked by the median on a shoulder not wide enough for a car, on a two lane highway. She was on the road, it sounds like the motorcyclist was trying to avoid hitting her.

scrubbedexpat091

I am gonna say there was probably more presented to the jury as evidence from both sides then the media will provide.

While I agree speed was likely a factor, I can see where the driver of the car was negligent by parking in the left lane of a highway with no shoulder to safely do so which is what started the accident chain.

Shard

I suppose the jury simply found her guilty of dangerous driving. Certainly a tragedy given the circumstances.

bats

Yep, a stupid thing to do, but that's the risk when driving, making a stupid mistake. Stopping on a highway without a good reason, pretty daft.