A West Vancouver father was in provincial court Tuesday for sentencing after pleading guilty to dangerous driving.
Andrew Hromyk was given a nine-month conditional sentence, 90 days of house arrest and a three-year driving ban.
In August 2014, Hromyk crashed his Mercedes along Marine Drive with two young children, including the son of a high-profile Vancouverite, in the back seat.
He was originally charged with impaired and dangerous driving causing bodily harm but pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of dangerous driving.
The collision happened in West Vancouver on the 3100-block of Marine Drive. Hromyk was driving a black Mercedes when he collided with a red Audi Syder R8.
The driver of the Audi, Bassam Moubarak, wasn’t happy with the sentence.
“At least he’s not going to be on the road to hit somebody else or do something that is wild or crazy,” he said.
Hromyk addressed the victim in court saying, ‘I offer my apologies that are nowhere near sufficient and I don’t expect you to forgive me. I’m responsible for my events and I own this.”
“I think he was truly sorry for his family and the exposure this has caused to him,” Moubarak said. “I’m not sure if he was really, truly sorry, to me.”
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Two young children were in the back passenger seat of the Mercedes, as well as another adult male passenger.
A police report identified the individuals involved in the collision. One was Hromyk’s son.
In October, Global News confirmed the other child is the son of Kyle Washington, executive chair of Seaspan Corp, a shipyard company that has secured multi-billion dollar contracts with the federal government. Washington is also the son of American billionaire Dennis Washington.
At the sentencing hearing in October, Crown tried to prove that Hromyk tossed bottles out of his car before police arrived but due to conflicting witness reports, the judged ruled against the argument.
Hromyk’s driving record includes 24 speeding violations since 1986, a 60-day driving prohibition, seven 24-hour driving prohibitions and a 90-day immediate roadside ban for the 2014 collision.
The defence said Hromyk participated in ski racing in his youth and his need for speed contributed to his driving record.
“I think the public would have expected in a case like this that the individual would have gotten a much stiffer sentence,” NDP public safety critic Mike Farnworth said. “This does not, in my opinion, send the right message.”
The defence said Hromyk has no prior convictions and that he’s involved in several charities. Hyromk still faces civil damages. There are $250,000 in damages for both cars and injury claims still outstanding.
~ with files from Amy Judd and Grace Ke
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