A Prince Albert, Sask., man was sentenced to four years in prison for a crash with a medical transport van in October 2016 that killed two people.
David Deagnon, 32, was driving a Ford F350 truck, almost entirely in the wrong lane, when his vehicle collided with a medical transport bus near Colonsay, Sask.
Saskatoon Court of Queen’s Bench Justice Gerald Allbright also delivered a five-year driving ban for the driver who had two previous convictions for driving under the influence.
Crown prosecutor Cory Bliss described Deagnon as a person who “worked hard and played hard,” alluding to the methamphetamine that was detected in the driver’s body.
However, a Crown expert couldn’t determine if there was enough meth in his system to impair Deagnon, Bliss said during Friday’s sentencing submissions.
Though he was initially charged in 2017 with impaired driving and criminal negligence offences, the 32-year-old pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing death and dangerous driving causing bodily harm in March.
Bliss said the truck driver went two or three days without sleep, and was trying to stay awake while blaring the vehicle’s stereo.
The Crown cited the Humboldt Broncos tragedy, seeking the same sentence that Jaskirat Singh Sidhu received – eight years in prison. Defence lawyer Ron Piché recommended a two-year term.
Numerous victim impact statements memorialized Larry Gavel, the 69-year-old driver of the bus who many remembered as kind-hearted and always helping others.
Brian Emisch, 61, was remembered as “a brother, confidant, supporter and hero.”
Clarence Guenter, the lone survivor from the bus, stood in court as his victim impact statement was read, which detailed how his arm was nearly severed, his head was injured, and his lung was punctured.
Speaking for several minutes from the prisoner’s box, Deagnon apologized to a full gallery of victims’ families, saying he didn’t take the privilege of driving seriously.
“The lifestyle I was living, I was on a downward path of destruction,” said Deagnon, stating he is now sober.
Before the judge delivered his sentence, Deagnon told court that he would trade his own life for those lost in the crash.