VANCOUVER – A man has been given 22 months in jail, two years probation and a three year driving ban following the drunk driving death of a teen in 2011.
Christopher Baires was behind the wheel of a car with 16-year-old Melissa Tomac and two other passengers, when he lost control of the vehicle near Sasamat Lake in Port Moody. He ended up crashing into some trees at the side of the road. Tomac died in hospital from her injuries.
A year later Baires was charged with impaired and dangerous driving causing death. Crown says he was a new driver and had more people in the car than was allowed.
Baires was 18 at the time of the crash and turned 23 years old today. He does not have a previous criminal record.
Aside from jail time and the driving ban, Baires must also talk to high school groups about the dangers of drinking and driving.
He declined to address Tomac’s family from the prisoner’s box on Tuesday, but Mrs. Tomac told Global News outside court that she is not yet ready to forgive what happened. “The pain never goes away,” she said.
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