A Toronto woman has been sentenced to five years in prison after pleading guilty to a hit-and-run crash in North York that killed a 63-year-old New Brunswick woman last year.
Erin Wright, 29, appeared in court Thursday morning with lawyer Clayton Ruby to enter the guilty plea for impaired driving causing death.
Toronto police said officers responded to a call about a pedestrian struck around 11 p.m. on Oct. 4, 2017, at York Mills and Don Mills roads.
According to the statement of facts, Debbie Graves and Tabitha Morrison, both from New Brunswick, were walking on the north side of York Mills, just west of Don Mills, when a vehicle mounted the curb and struck Graves from behind. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
READ MORE: Toronto woman charged in fatal hit-and-run in North York granted bail
The court document said the victim and her friend were in town visiting on business and had just gotten off work at the time of the incident. Both were staying at the Westin Prince Hotel not far from the collision. Wright fled the area in a high rate of speed following the crash.
The statement of facts said Wright was drinking with a friend at the St. Louis Bar and Grill at Fairview Mall and had consumed at least seven shots of tequila and ordered four beers prior to leaving in her 2014 Nissan Rogue.
Video surveillance from the restaurant showed her stumbling and having trouble opening the establishment’s front door.
Police said the suspect’s car was found a few days later with front-end damage at an auto body shop.
Wright was arrested and charged with dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing death, fail to stop at scene of accident causing death, impaired operation of a motor vehicle causing death and obstruct police.
READ MORE: Victim of Toronto fatal hit-and-run was visiting from New Brunswick
Ruby said his client worked as a hairdresser and tried to turn herself in five days after the crash, but was told by police to come back once they needed her.
“After she heard that police wanted to arrest her, after the accident, she went and turned herself in on her own,” Ruby told reporters outside the College Street courthouse on Oct. 16, 2017.
Wright was arrested 10 days after the fatal crash. In addition to her prison sentence, she is prohibited from driving a vehicle for four years following her release.
VIDEO: 28-year-old woman arrested in fatal North York hit-and-run
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