A 40-year-old man who killed a Calgary woman when he drove through a yield sign north of Olds in July 2011 has been fined.
The accused pleaded guilty in Didsbury provincial court on Wednesday to a charge under the Traffic Safety Act of careless driving.
The accused was the driver of a Jeep that was northbound on Rge. Rd. 15 when it went through the yield sign on Twp. Rd. 340 north of Olds and slammed into the side of a Toyota Corolla, a small car, court heard.
The crash occurred at about 8:30 p.m. on July 9.
The deceased, Xuan (Anna) Pham, 32, was a passenger in the car. She died at the scene.
The woman's husband, who was the driver of the car, was airlifted to Calgary by STARS with serious injuries.
Alcohol and speed were not factors in the crash, court heard.
The accused was also treated for injuries following the crash.
In a victim impact statement read in court, the woman's husband said his wife's death has left him to raise their infant daughter alone. He called her loss a “never-ending nightmare.”
“Anna was my best friend and soulmate,” he said. “I feel lost without her. I miss my wife and my friend so much.”
Other victim impact statements from the deceased's mother and other relatives and friends were also presented to the court.
The accused's lawyer, Allan Kay, told the court that the accused failed to see the yield sign because a truck that passed moments before threw up a cloud of dust that obscured the sign.
The accused also addressed the court, saying he was shocked and saddened by the incident.
“I'm really sorry. I know it's terrible. It was an accident and I didn't do it on purpose,” he said.
Judge E. Creighton called the fatality “a tragic accident” and a “momentary absence of taking care” on the part of the accused.
“It is extremely unfortunate,” Creighton said.
Anton Irwin was fined $2,000 and given a three-month driving suspension, both the maximum penalties allowed for the offence under the Traffic Safety Act.
