Share this Story: Regina teen hit by impaired driver 'a sitting duck'
Regina teen hit by impaired driver 'a sitting duck'
With no eyewitnesses, a crash victim who can't remember the incident, and no other information available as to what led to a collision on a Regina-area roadway two years ago, a provincial court judge "somewhat reluctantly" agreed to impose the 120-day jail sentence jointly proposed by Crown and defence lawyers.
Heather Polischuk
May 14, 2013 • May 15, 2013 • 2 minute read
Saskatoon cases in court. Photo by Greg Pender /StarPhoenix files
In addressing Judge Kevin Lang, Crown prosecutor David Flett admitted the sentence was on the lenient side given the injuries that resulted to a teenage girl, but said the Crown would have had problems proving the case should it have gone to trial.
Regina teen hit by impaired driver 'a sitting duck' Back to video
Instead, 51-year-old Robert Leslie Nagy pleaded guilty to a range of charges on Tuesday, including impaired driving (a charge of impaired driving causing bodily harm was stayed), leaving the scene and driving while disqualified. The sentence also includes a three-year driving prohibition.
Court heard Nagy already had two previous impaired driving-related convictions to his name when, on May 28, 2011, he ended up behind the wheel after having had a few beers. At about 1 a.m., Nagy's vehicle collided with one driven by a then-17-year-old girl, resulting in a number of injuries to the girl.
Defence lawyer Chris MacLeod said his client, who subsequently drove off, left the scene because he panicked.
The girl, who read from her victim impact statement on Tuesday, said she was "basically a sitting duck," left alone and unconscious in her vehicle in the middle of the roadway. Someone eventually came upon the crash site and called for help.
The girl was taken to hospital for treatment of injuries that included a broken nose, a concussion and an injury to her eye that continues to affect her two years later.
She underwent two surgeries to repair damage to her eyelid and is still self-conscious about her appearance. She added that she's been forced to abandon activities she loved, such as soccer and dance, and that she's suffered from anxiety and panic attacks.
While MacLeod noted Nagy's plea was not to impaired driving causing bodily harm, he said his client nonetheless regrets what happened.
"He has not had a drink since, your Honour ...," MacLeod said. "The conclusion he came to is that he doesn't have to drink very much before he makes bad decisions."
Nagy took a moment to offer a direct apology to the girl, adding "drinking is the root to all evil."
Lang pointed out the incident, and the penalty, could have been much worse and said he found it distressing that Nagy left the scene following the crash, leaving behind the injured girl. Even so, he accepted Nagy's apology as genuine.
hpolischuk@leaderpost.com