EDMONTON – Zachary Holland has been sentenced to 15 years in jail for viciously attacking two women – one of whom suffered burns from head to toe, and the other a fractured pelvis and deep gashes.
According to an agreed statement of facts, the first incident occurred on March 25, 0212, when Holland choked his then-girlfriend, Megan Carley, during an argument and told her that if she didn’t get in the car he would “knock her out.” When he came to a stop at an intersection, she tried to jump out but he grabbed her braid and hit the gas. After being dragged just over the length of a football field down the Whitemud, she was left with a fractured pelvis and ankle, as well as deep lacerations and bruises.
A few months later on July 8, Holland met up with Justine Saoi, whom he knew was transexual. According to the agreed statement of facts, after drinking together and using cocaine, the two started kissing. That’s when Holland starting choking Saoi.
Saoi tried to get away but according to the statement, he punched her and struck her with the lid of a toilet tank. When she lost consciousness, Holland lit her bed on fire – resulting in a blaze that caused $500,000 in damage and left Saoi with burns and permanent scars from head to toe.
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Judge James Wheatley called the injuries horrific, sentencing Holland to 11 years behind bars for the charges relating to Saoi. Holland also received an additional four years for the aggravated assault of his former girlfriend Megan Carley.
While the defence was hoping for a sentence between 12 and 13 years, it joined with the Crown and requested 12 to 16 years.
“While certainly there have been arsons in the past and draggings in the past, to have one person involved in two such crimes, I’m not really familiar with any precedent there,” said Crown Prosecutor James Rowan.
With his parents in court to support him, Holland said he was deeply sorry for hurting the two women and takes full responsibility for what he did.
“He can sit there and say that he loved me all he wanted, you don’t hurt people you love,” Carley said outside the courthouse.
Both young women are still recovering from the impacts of their injuries, but Megan Carley is back in school. She’s pursuing a career in corrections and has been inspired to work with young offenders and victims.
With files from Laurel Clark, Global News
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