On Friday, Shane Stevenson, the lawyer who hit 16-year-old Chloe Wiwchar with his truck and left the Edmonton scene in April 2018, is being released from custody.
The fatal collision happened as Chloe was walking home in a marked crosswalk at Kingsway and Tower Road.
Multiple vehicles stopped to let her cross, but Stevenson drove through the crosswalk, hit Chloe and kept going, fleeing the scene.
READ MORE: Edmonton lawyer sentenced for impaired driving causing death in 2018 fatal collision
An off-duty police officer who witnessed the crime gave chase, eventually arresting Stevenson.
Court heard that Stevenson’s blood alcohol content was 0.17, nearly double the legal limit of 0.08.
After pleading guilty to impaired driving causing death, Stevenson was sentenced to three-and-a-half years in prison.
“That’s not equivalent to the loss of human life and for what victims and their families are going through in this traumatic process,” Chloe’s mom Holly Lucier said.
But after serving two-thirds of that sentence, he qualifies for statutory release Friday.
“He gets to walk away tomorrow and return to his life, return to his family, return to whatever it is his future holds,” Lucier said.
“My daughter will never walk away from this. My daughter will never have the opportunity to think about a future.”
Instead of walking across the stage in her high school graduation dress, Chloe was buried in it.
Her family wants those who drink and drive to consider that the next time they get behind the wheel.
“That is the consequence. It’s not losing your licence for a year, it’s not paying a fine,” said Michael Wiwchar, Chloe’s dad.
READ MORE: Edmonton lawyer pleads guilty to impaired driving causing death in 2018 fatal collision
He feels the Canadian justice system is too soft on people who drive drunk.
“If Chloe’s death is going to amount to anything, I would like to see a change in sentencing and how society views impaired driving,” Michael said.
Last summer, Chloe’s mom took that fight to Ottawa, presenting to the Justice Committee in Parliament.
“We need these laws to represent and reflect the seriousness of the crime. We need to keep demanding from our elected officials. We need to keep demanding that change,” she said.
Lucier’s been working with Families for Justice to also advocate for better victims’ rights in Canada — pushing for more mental health and financial support in their darkest days.
“I hope she knows I do it for her,” Lucier said.
“I carry her with me in everything I do. Every day, every moment. There’s not a day that goes by that I’m not thinking of her and what I can do to try and make a difference for somebody else. I hope she knows that.”
As part of his sentence, Stevenson will now be prohibited from driving for five years.
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