Driver receives 2 years in jail for crash that left B.C. girl with permanent brain damage

A woman convicted in a 2017 car crash that left an 11-year-old B.C. girl with a devastating brain injury has been sentenced to two years behind bars.

Tenessa Nikirk had been charged with dangerous driving causing bodily harm in the incident in Saanich on Vancouver Island.

She will serve her time in a federal penitentiary and has also been banned from driving for three years.

During the trial last year, video footage showed a speeding vehicle, driven by Nikirk, moments before it was involved in the collision.

1:49 B.C. woman guilty of dangerous driving in crash that left 11-year old girl with brain damage

Experts testified that the vehicle could have been going as fast as 100 km/h. Evidence presented to the court also suggested Nikirk was texting for several minutes prior to the collision.

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The family of Leila Bui, the child who was struck at Torquay and Ash Road on Dec. 20, 2017, has said that life since that day has been difficult.

Leila had been on her way to school at the time.

1:54 Young girl struck in crosswalk in Saanich

Several witnesses testified that the girl had looked both ways before entering the crosswalk.

– More to come