One year ago, Debbie Dyer stood outside a courthouse in tears after learning the person who caused a car crash killing her 19-year-old daughter wouldn’t serve any jail time.
“How can you go and kill two people and not be held accountable? It just shows that our justice system sucks,” she said.
READ MORE: Stunning verdict in dangerous driving causing death trial
Now, Dyer is relieved after the Court of Appeal ordered a new trial for Andelina Hecimovic, who was originally found not guilty of two counts of dangerous driving causing death in the 2010 death of Beckie Dyer, 19 and Johnny De Oliveira, 21.
“I was crying tears of joy, but at the same time I know we have to go through it again and again,” she said today.
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Dyer was picked up by her boyfriend De Oliveira after a Justin Bieber concert on October 19, 2010. While driving home to Pitt Meadows, they were hit by Hecimovic at Lougheed Highway and Harris Road. Hecimovic lost control of her car when she was passing traffic in a turn lane, driving 130 km/hour, while also running a red light.
While none of those points were in dispute, the judge dismissed all charges, ruling that it was a tragic accident that wasn’t outside of normal driving on that road. Hecimovic said she had a bad day at work and was already in tears before the crash.
“I’ve had bad days at work, haven’t we all? That doesn’t give you license to speed, go through a red light and go in the wrong lane,” says Dyer.
The Court of Appeal’s 2-1 decision means a new trial could take place, but Hecimovic has the option of filing her own appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada.
Dyer is prepared to wait.
“Eventually, hopefully, we’ll get some justice.”
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