Dozens of family and friends of two cyclists killed on a popular cycling route along Highway 99 were in court Monday morning to present their victim impact statements during a three-day sentencing hearing for the driver responsible for the crash.
Forty-five-year-old Samuel Alec first sat motionless in his box, but then broke down into tears while listening to the statements that described the profound loss the Whistler cycling community and families of the victims felt when the lives of Kelly Blunden, 53, and Ross Chafe, 50 — both avid cyclists — were unexpectedly cut short.
The court heard that on May 31, 2015, Alec’s Chevrolet Cavalier heading toward Lillooet crossed the centre line on Duffey Lake Road about 25 kilometres north of Pemberton, hitting and killing the two cyclists. The passenger in Alec’s vehicle, Paul Pierre Jr., 52, of the Lil’wat Nation, was also killed.
In the days leading to the fatal crash, the court heard about Alec attending a funeral of a friend in Mount Currie and that he was seen intoxicated almost daily during that time.
He had struggled with alcohol before, but had been on the road to sobriety for a number of months prior to the crash.
His family had repeatedly asked him not to drive his Cavalier as he was legally prohibited from driving at the time.
Crown Counsel Grace Oh said on the morning of May 31 Alec still decided to drive back to Lillooet on his own even though he had been drinking.
WATCH – from May 31, 2015: A day of cycling near Pemberton has ended in tragedy. Three people were killed after an impaired driver crashed into a group of cyclists. Jordan Armstrong reports.
Alec has more than 40 convictions on his criminal record, 22 of which are driving offences or relate in some way to the charges to which he’s pleaded guilty, Oh said.
She described his record as lengthy, persistent, related and recent.
“It is truly significant and, in the Crown’s view and submission, an egregious criminal and driving history, related to repeatedly failing to comply with various orders,” she added.
Just before the crash, Blunden, Chafe and Stewart Blaser, who survived the accident, were out for a weekend ride along Duffey Lake Road as part of their training for an upcoming race in the French Alps.
The roads at the time were dry and the visibility was good.
WATCH: Hundreds of cyclists gathered in Whistler to pay tribute to two cyclists who died in a tragic accident
All three were experienced cyclists and members of the Whistler Cycling Club.
The trio was riding close together when Blaser fell slightly behind his friends. He recalls looking up and seeing Blunden and Chafe about 100 metres in front before hearing a collision.
When he finally caught up, Blaser claims Alec got out of his car and checked the passenger side. He then returned to the driver’s side and tried to move the vehicle.
After that failed, Alec left the car again and started walking down the highway.
Blaser tried calling 9-1-1, but started going into shock.
In his victim statement, he said what he saw next — was a large field of debris and body parts strewn across the highway.
“It made me sick… It was the most horrific day of my life,” an emotional Blaser said in court, adding that the sound and images of the crash will haunt him forever.
He said the accident has scarred him for life, his demeanour has changed and he is considering resigning from his job as a chief engineer at the Whistler Sliding Centre. He said he is also cautious about cycling and nervous about “bad drivers” out there.
READ MORE: Three dead after impaired driver hits cyclists on Highway 99
In the aftermath of the crash, Alec has been charged with three counts of criminal negligence causing death, three counts of impaired driving causing death, three counts of driving with a blood alcohol content over .08, and one count of failing to remain at the scene of the accident.
He pleaded guilty to three counts of impaired driving causing death in February.
However, the court heard Alec walked away from the scene of the crash and was trying to flag down cars. The drivers who interacted with him said he appeared drunk and terrified.
When one of the drivers suggested calling police, the Crown said Alec uttered, “No police, no police.”
Eventually, when police arrived almost two hours after the crash, Alec was arrested and taken to hospital, where he was treated for spinal fractures, a separated shoulder, broken nose and concussion.
Crown will be asking for 12 years behind bars less time served as well as a 15- to 18-year driving prohibition for Alec.
A total of 18 victim impact statements will be read out in court over the next three days.
Today, the court also heard statements from Blunden’s wife Donnie and his two children.
The statement of Donnie Blunden, read out by a family friend, described how her life changed after Kelly’s death — she has been unable to go to bed by herself, keep a job or do the things she used to love.
“I hope Alec’s demons will not hurt another family,” the statement read, eliciting audible sobs from the defendant’s box.
Blunden’s children both said their lives have been turned upside down by the death of their father.
Blunden’s mother described the incident as “senseless and totally avoidable.”
WATCH: Whistler mourns deaths of two well-known local cyclists
Whistler mayor Nancy Wilhelm-Morden also spoke in court about the effect the accident had on the Whistler community as a whole.
She said the deaths of Blunden and Chafe came as a shock to the community, with 1,500 people coming out for the celebration of life ceremony that was held after their deaths.
“The outpouring of grief was palpable,” Wilhelm-Morden said.
The president of Whistler Cycling Club, Frank Savage, added the deaths were a horrible loss for their community as both Blunden and Chafe were the founding members.
“They were inspirational for all of us and we miss them,” Savage said.
Alec is expected to address the court on Wednesday.
– With files from The Canadian Press
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