A man has been sentenced to three-and-a-half years behind bars for a number of crimes, including a fatal collision in west Edmonton in 2017 that left a 90-year-old woman dead.
Hidircan Ozdemir, 23, was sentenced in an Edmonton courtroom on Wednesday afternoon on charges of dangerous driving causing death, dangerous driving causing bodily harm, aggravated assault and dangerous driving.
In December, Ozdemir pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing death and dangerous driving causing bodily harm in connection with a fatal crash in the area of 163 Street and 92 Avenue on Aug. 18, 2017.
Court heard Ozdemir was driving more than 100 km/h in a 50 km/h zone when the truck he was driving collided with an SUV with four people inside.
At the time of the crash, police said a Dodge Ram was heading north on 163 Street when it struck a Honda CR-V that was turning left on 163 Street from 92 Avenue. The truck veered off the road before hitting a tree and stopping in someone’s front yard.
Anne Melenka, 90, and her daughter Marie Wilkinson, 59, were passengers in the SUV. Both were taken to hospital where Melenka died two days later. Wilkinson suffered life-threatening injuries including a broken back, pelvis, ribs and arm. To this day, Wilkinson walks with a limp and court heard she is in immense physical pain.
Court heard the victims were heading to Melenka’s husband’s care home for a celebration when the collision occurred.
Ozdemir was also sentenced for aggravated assault Wednesday, in connection with an incident that took place two months before the fatal collision.
On June 18, 2017, court heard Ozdemir stabbed a man near the eye with a tire tool and tried to run the man’s vehicle off the road as the victim fled.
While out on bail, under strict conditions not to drive, police pulled over Ozdemir for speeding on Anthony Henday Drive. The judge noted Ozdemir appears to have a lack of insight into how his actions could affect others on the road.
In October 2019, a jury found Ozdemir guilty of aggravated assault and dangerous driving.
Ozdemir received a sentence of three and a half years for all four offences, as well as a five-year driving ban.
With files from Sarah Ryan, Global News.