Eighteen months ago I posted about this accident, where an unlicensed, uninsured motorist left an injured motorcyclist dying on the pavement and drove off. The rider, Claude Dorion, was found by a passerby, bleeding on the sidewalk, and died 4 hours later in hospital.Well today, justice (of sorts) was finally meted out in an Ottawa courthouse. The driver, William Davis, was sentenced to a year in jail and handed a 3-year driving ban. According to the reports Davis was sentenced for leaving the scene of an accident, making an unsafe turn, driving without a licence and operating a vehicle without insurance. It’s worth noting that none of the charges related directly to killing another person. No charges were laid for vehicular homicide or dangerous driving causing death, which to my way of thinking should have been the case here – along with the aforementioned charges to which Davis pleaded guilty.
Davis got off far too lightly in my opinion. His year in jail will, in all likelihood, be significantly reduced for “good behaviour” and/or early parole. And with a history of driving without a license and without insurance it’s far from certain that the driving ban will have any affect whatsoever. It’s a sad day for justice indeed.To read more: http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/Victim+family+cheers+driver+fled+scene+after+killing+motorcylist+away+jail/3657925/story.html
I agree, the sentence was way too lenient, in my opinion.
ReplyDeletePeople make mistakes, and innocent die. It happens.
ReplyDeleteHowever, this guy's actions were premeditated. He deliberately drove an uninsured car without valid license, before he made a mistake that caused the accident. Then again he consciously fled the scene, and let the victim die. And it is not the act of a young person either.
Not that more years in prison can ever bring back the life of the motorcyclist or help friends and family to cope with the death of a loved person, but I am very disappointed about this mild sentence.
Soon enough this man will be out there on the road and driving. Very sad!
Basically this man commited manslaughter by leaving an injured man at the scene of an accident and not taking steps to make sure he received emergency medical attention.As SonjaM said ,accidents do happen. They always will.But to leave someone to die when you could have,Perhaps, made a differance is shocking and cowardly.
ReplyDeleteNothing that can be done to this man would make up for his disgraceful behavior but if he had gotten a longer sentence his family may feel that the justice system was working for them. They must feel very let down.
That is ridiculous! When someone drives without a license they should confiscate the vehicle. Thats what happens if when someone is caught hunting or fishing without a license!
ReplyDeleteMay God bless the family of the biker.
Motoroz, I like your suggestion that people who drive without a license get their vehicle confiscated ... gov't. needs to get tougher on this.
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree more with your comments. This case is so far beyond a simple "accident" that it's disgusting he effectively got away with it. I wasn't in court, and I'm no lawyer, but it sure doesn't pass the smell test to me.
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