Crown wants Brent Parent sentenced to eight years in jail
Posted April 27, 2012 11:54 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
NEW WESTMINSTER (NEWS1130) – The Crown wants eight years in prison and a 15-year driving ban for Brent Parent.
Silas O’Brien was on his way to catch a flight to Hawaii when Parent hit and killed him in what’s described as a case of road rage on 16th Avenue in Aldergrove back in March, 2008.
In the final submissions from Crown, the prosecutor calls Parent’s actions deliberate, pointing to his 64 driving infractions, saying he has an “egregious” record, having been banned from driving five times.
He’s even been caught going 105 km/h in a 60 km/h zone on the second anniversary of O’Brien’s death.
Today, tearful victim impact statements from O’Brien’s parents and friends were read out in court.
His father, Roger, says the loss is immeasurable. He doesn’t seek revenge, but he is asking for justice.
The defense is focusing on two things – one is also Parent’s driving record.
His lawyer Vincent Michaels calls it deeply troubling and problematic, but he points to many of the tickets, fines and bans, happening years ago. “Most people drive safely throughout their whole lives. Sometimes testosterone-fuelled young men are the exception. Many young men attract an aggravated driving record in their 20s, only to smarten up and obey the rules of the road. That, for the most part, is what my client did in this case.”
The other focal point is Parent’s character. Michaels says, through many letters and a thorough history of his troubled childhood, that he is more than just a man who had a five minute lapse in judgement. He claims Parent’s failure to pull over has haunted him tremendously.
