The family of an Alberta mother who was killed when her SUV was rear-ended at an exceptionally high rate of speed shook their heads in court Friday morning as the case faced another delay.
Natalie Anne Hawkins died in May 2016 while driving to her newly rented home in Fort Saskatchewan. Her family just had to relocate, fleeing the wildfires in Fort McMurray.
Hawkins was nearly home when a car slammed into the back of her SUV at a speed of more than 200 kilometres an hour on Highway 15, according to an accident reconstruction report.
“She was an amazing person. She had a smile that would brighten any room in the house. People loved her.
“She would go out of her way to help anybody,” her twin sister, Nicole Hawkins, said.
Hawkins was a wife and mother of two.
“The 12 year old, the daughter, she lost her mother at the most critical time of her life. Her dad does his best but it’s tough. It’s not mom,” Natalie’s mom, Hilda Hawkins, said.
According to an agreed statement of facts, the other driver, Todd Lambert, was under a medical order not to drive because he suffered from seizures.
That day, Lambert admitted to police he’d been smoking marijuana before getting behind the wheel and said he was aware of his driving prohibition.
The court documents state Lambert had a seizure behind the wheel and was observed going 150 km/h in a 70 km/h zone, blowing through an intersection with a red light.
In November 2018, Lambert pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing death, however he still has not been sentenced 14 months later.
He fired his lawyer 15 minutes before he was scheduled to begin a sentencing hearing in September 2019. He then secured another lawyer.
On Friday, again in court for a sentencing hearing, Lambert said he did not want to continue with his new lawyer, either.
“Your honour, I do not wish to go forward with this. It is not what I agreed to at all. It is the same thing I’m stuck with, with this lawyer and my previous lawyer,” he said.
The judge allowed Lambert’s counsel to withdraw, but noted it would cause further delay.
“I find the court is put into a difficult situation,” he said.
The judge also apologized to the Hawkins family, who were in attendance to read their victim impact statements — just as they were in September.
They still have not been able to read them.
“It’s the same story every time, for almost four years. We’re getting tired of it. It’s very frustrating,” Hilda said.
“We’re just hoping that next time we got to court will be the last time. We’re tired,” Nicole said.
“We want justice for our sister. We want to be able to lay her to rest peacefully and right now we can’t.”
Natalie’s family fears Lambert is just dragging his feet to buy more time before he’s sent to jail.
“Couple extra days or another year,” Nicole said. “Look, he’s got four years.”
They said they live near Lambert in the small town of Bruderheim and see him routinely at the post office, grocery store and gas station.
“It’s really hard,” Nicole said.
With his lawyer dismissed, Lambert told the judge he wishes to retract his previous guilty plea.
The judge said Lambert has to submit it in writing before his next court appearance, on Jan. 22.
Watch below: (From Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2020) The accused in a dangerous driving case says he has no recollection of a crash the killed a mother of two. Sarah Ryan reports.
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