Motorist fined after striking motorcycle wedding procession
An Oromocto, N.B., man pleaded guilty Monday to charges laid after
he drove his car into a procession of motorcylists on their way to a
wedding in August, severely injuring five of the riders - including the
groom and his best friend.Matthew Francis, 27, was charged last week with driving without due
care and attention, and driving without insurance. He entered the
guilty pleas on his first appearance in Burton provincial court.He was fined a total of about $2,400, and his licence was suspended for four months.
Francis told the court his daughter in the back seat had distracted
him when he swerved across the centre line on Lincoln Road, smashing
into the motorcycle wedding procession.The crash happened Aug. 9 as 10 motorcyclists were heading to CFB Gagetown for a wedding.
The groom, Frank Bouchard, and his best friend, Alain Belanger,
suffered serious injuries in the crash just 20 minutes before the
wedding was to take place.Crown prosecutor Paul Hawkins told the court that witnesses agreed
that the red Ford Escort station wagon swerved across the centre line
of the two-lane highway, striking five of the motorcycles.He said there was no evidence that speed or alcohol contributed to the accident, and so criminal charges were not warranted.
Chief provincial court Judge Leslie Jackson called it a "tragic incident" where "momentary inattention had grave consequences."
Francis asked for four months to pay the fine because he is unemployed.
Two of the injured motorcyclists, including one man who lost his foot, were in court, but declined to comment.
The motorcyclists, members of a Fredericton-area club known as the
Passchendaele Unit, which is part of the Canadian Army Veteran
Motorcycle Units association, had planned the procession as a surprise
for the bride.
3 comments:
The courts never cease to amaze me with this kind of crap.
I know...it's truly sad. Several of the riders are selling their bikes. Not only did that idiot almost kill people, but he killed their passion for riding...
One motorcyclist lost his foot... in the meantime this idiot cager gets little more than a slap on the wrist. Lets turn the tables for a bit. What if an uninsured motorcyclist had crossed the median line into oncoming traffic and had caused five cars to crash in order to avoid him. Think the judge would have been as lenient? Didn't think so.
Sorry, but this stuff truly burns me. Idiot assholes who constantly break the rules never get any punishment, while law-abiding citizens get screwed.
I really need to go out and ride.
Cheers,
Lucky
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