Advertisement

Teen who killed friend while drunk driving sentenced to 120 days

Brittany Greenslade / Global News

It’s been nearly two years since a poor decision at a party turned deadly, and now a young man will see jail time.

Judge Robert Heinrichs sentenced a 19-year-old man to 80 days in custody at a youth facility followed by 40 days of community supervision Thursday after he pled guilty to impaired driving causing death.

Judge Heinrichs ordered a publication ban on the case, prohibiting media outlets from naming the driver or the person who died.

According to court records, a group of five teens left a gathering in Dufresne on Oct. 16, 2016,  including the then-17-year-old who got behind the wheel impaired by alcohol-spiked iced teas and a bit of weed.

Story continues below advertisement

A number of his friends tried to stop him from driving, but he left in the early hours, taking a passenger with him.

Breaking news from Canada and around the world sent to your email, as it happens.

Another car with three other young men followed.

At some point, the 17-year-old tried to pass the car ahead of him. He sped up, lost control and ended up rolling the car.

WATCH: Teen takes impaired driving test in ‘drunk suit’

The driver was pulled from the wreckage by one of his friends in another car. But the 17-year-old passenger didn’t have a pulse.

The teen driver pleaded guilty to impaired driving causing death earlier this year.

Since the crash, he’s quit drinking and smoking weed. He attends church, has a job and volunteers regularly, according to the court.

Story continues below advertisement

By all accounts, it was an out-of-character decision that ended his friend’s life, Judge Heinrichs said.

“He’s a better person now than he was then,” Judge Heinrichs said of the teen, noting he is at a very low risk to re-offend.

The teen is also also banned from driving for 3.5 years.

Sponsored content

AdChoices