Driver gets house arrest in fatal incident
The driver who struck and killed a little Ukrainian girl here in 2022 has been sentenced to 12 months of house arrest and has lost his licence for two years.
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Kate
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Tim S. 17:15 on 2024-06-05 Permalink
I’m beginning to think we need a separate court for driving. The fact that the accused has no other criminal convictions is not relevant to whether he is a dangerous and negligent driver. It seems to me too that the punishment befitting drivers for a criminal act, and the impact on everyone’s safety if they are permitted to continue to drive, are two different things. You shouldn’t revoke someone’s driver’s license as a punishment: they are either an unsafe driver, in which case the licence should be permanently revoked, or at least only returned on condition of passing remedial driving courses, or they are a safe driver and should get to keep their permit.
Also, did anyone inquire into his account that he stopped properly, and still somehow ran over the child?
H. John 18:58 on 2024-06-05 Permalink
The punishment had nothing to do with dangerous or negligent driving.
“Il est important de préciser que Juan Manuel Becerra Garcia n’était pas accusé d’avoir tué la petite Mariia. Selon la preuve, il a respecté le Code de la sécurité routière, il n’était pas sous l’effet de l’alcool et ne roulait pas trop vite. En fait, il n’aurait jamais été accusé s’il n’était pas parti sans vérifier ce qui s’était passé à l’intersection.”
https://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/justice-et-faits-divers/2024-06-05/mort-de-la-petite-mariia-en-2022/un-an-de-prison-a-domicile-pour-le-chauffard.php
Kate 19:38 on 2024-06-05 Permalink
It says later in the article: “Juan Manuel Becerra Garcia a plaidé coupable le mois dernier à un chef d’accusation de délit de fuite causant la mort.” So that was the charge, hit and run causing death. But he still claims he didn’t realize he’d hit a kid till he saw the news reports later that day. He didn’t flee from fear that he’d caused an accident, and he turned himself in as soon as he figured it out.
Tim S. 20:30 on 2024-06-05 Permalink
So that’s just it: if his driving wasn’t the problem then the driving ban makes no sense.
How you can drive responsibly and kill a child at a crosswalk, that’s another question.
Brett 08:10 on 2024-06-06 Permalink
Responsible driving isn’t equivalent to following the law. Apparently you can drive irresponsiblly, but as long as you obey the traffic code, that’s what counts in court.