BC’s highest court has upheld the acquittal of a Williams Lake man who was charged with Dangerous Driving and Impaired Driving Causing Death and Bodily Harm in connection with a deadly crash almost four years ago in the Lake City.
The BC Court of Appeal, in handing down it’s decision in Vancouver, agreed that Martin Gentles had a blood alcohol level well above the legal limit but the panel of judges also ruled that the Crown failed to prove impairment or dangerous driving were contributing factors in the accident.
20-year old Rayel MacDonald was killed and her friend Alysha Mullett was seriously injured.
The judges agreed that the two victims stepped into the path of Gentles’ oncoming truck in April of 2012, giving him less than two seconds to avoid impact.
Gentles was convicted of Impaired Driving and leaving the scene of an accident.
He was given an 8-month conditional sentence, one year probation and a one-year driving prohibition, as well as a $1500 fine.
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