Because of his “reckless” behavior, truck driver Réjean Houde was sentenced to eight months in prison for fatally mowing down pedestrian Petya Chivieva, 31, on Champlain Boulevard in Quebec in September 2019.
• Also read: Killed by a truck: Dreams are cut short 'to avoid traffic'
The judge, Christian Boulet, admitted he had given serious consideration to a community sentencing, as requested by the defence, but ultimately concluded it was not “proportionate” to the offence.
Screenshot, video provided by the court
“I come to the conclusion that this is one of those cases in which the need to report is so urgent that a prison sentence is the only appropriate punishment,” the judge said, despite the “shame” and “regret” that followed the defendant had expressed, and the fact that his risk of reoffending is “zero”.
On September 12, 2019, the now 61-year-old Saint-Apollinaire resident, who had been a truck driver with no criminal record and no license since 1984, took Champlain Boulevard even though he knew there was a ban on heavy weights like the one he was carrying the tourist season.
To save time
On the way to Charlevoix, he wanted to save time by avoiding work on the Henri-IV motorway. While attempting to negotiate a 90-degree curve in the area of the intersection, he had an obstructed view on his right side.
The victim, Petya Chivieva. Decency
His 25 meter long vehicle ended up on the sidewalk where he did not see the victim, who was trapped between the monster and a fence. Houde pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing death last April.
This “thoughtless”, “reckless” and careless behavior represents a “marked departure” from the behavior of a reasonable person, although “the defendant did not want to cause the drama,” the judge noted, adding that there are consequences for the people in the community The victim's environment was “terrible and irreparable”.
Broken dreams
The young woman from Bulgaria had built a great life in Quebec and had a head full of projects, her partner recalled during the verdict. “We were looking for a house, a home to make our orchids bloom, and soon a family,” said Pierre-Olivier Buist.
The decision was received with great emotion in the packed courtroom in the presence of the victim's relatives.
“The family is satisfied with the sentence imposed, but you obviously understand that it will not bring back the loved one who was lost,” said prosecutor Me Jean-Simon Larouche, who said the sentence sends a clear message against them dangerous driving.
Just punishment
For his part, the sixty-year-old remained stoic as he surrendered to the special police officers in front of his shocked family.
“It is a sentence that reflects the seriousness of the crime and takes into account Mr Houde's profile,” said his lawyer Me Charles Levasseur, emphasizing that the judge could have imposed a harsher sentence based on case law.
The defense asked for a sentence of 12 months' imprisonment in the community, while the prosecution asked for 12 months' imprisonment. According to the Criminal Code, the theoretical penalty is up to life imprisonment.
Since the tragedy, the Champlain Boulevard curve has been rehabilitated and the ban on transit truck traffic has been extended year-round.
Can you share information about this story?
Write to us or call us directly at 1 800-63SCOOP.