SASKATOON – Cheyann Peeteetuce, the drunk driver of a stolen truck involved in the 22nd Street fatal collision that killed two teens last May, has been sentenced to six years in prison, less time served.
The sentence was handed down Friday morning in Saskatoon.
Peeteetuce has pleaded guilty to seven charges including two counts of dangerous driving causing death.
Story continues below the live blog
READ MORE: Woman pleads guilty after 2 teens killed in 22nd Street crash
On May 5, 2014, Sarah Wensley and James Haughey, both 17, lost their lives when the stolen truck Peeteetuce was driving slammed into the side of their vehicle, pinning it against a building as she attempted to evade police.
Both teens were killed instantly.
A third teen in the backseat, Kara Mitsuing, was seriously injured, sustaining more than 30 fractures as a result of the crash. Mitsuing was hospitalized for more than two weeks.
At the time, the three teens were on their way to a track and field practice.
READ MORE: Two teens dead after stolen truck crashes in Saskatoon
During sentencing submissions on May 13, 2015, a four minute video from a police cruiser dash cam was played in court for the first time ever in front of the victim’s family members. The video showed Peeteetuce sped off once she noticed the cruiser behind her.
Watch below: Dashcam footage from a Saskatoon police cruiser on May 5, 2014. It shows a stolen vehicle pursuit which ends fatally on 22nd Street in Saskatoon.
The Crown estimated the stolen truck she was driving was travelling a minimum of 90 kilometers an hour in a 50 km/h zone when she hit two vehicles at the intersection 22nd Street West and Avenue M. The Crown also revealed Peeteetuce has never had a driver’s license and her blood alcohol level at the time of the crash was between .130 and .171.
Peeteetuce was also in breach of probation on that fateful day, with three offences on her criminal history, all related to stolen vehicles.
A total of 53 victim impact statements were filed, five were heard in court.
Watch below: Family finds courage to speak out after son’s death
“He’s my life, my world, now my life has no meaning to me anymore,” said James’ mother, Marilou Haughey.
Court also heard from Sarah Wensley’s mom.
“My worst nightmare came true, she was my daughter and my life.”
At the time of the collision, Peeteetuce was 21 and had a 5-year-old daughter. She too knows all too well what it’s like to lose a child, having to make the decision to take her 10-month-old son off life support after he overdosed on opiates while in the care of his father’s family.
The collision happened 9 months after that and since her arrest Peeteetuce has cut ties with her street gang.
The Crown asked for a 12 year sentence, the defence was seeking six.
“This is not about vengeance, this is about what’s fair,” said the trial judge.
READ MORE: Young offender gets 3 years for role in fatal stolen truck crash
The young offender, the passenger in the truck at the time who cannot be named, pleaded guilty to five counts and received three years.
Comments