A Toronto man lost the court appeal of his 12-year sentence yesterday. He was in jail for criminal negligence causing death, impaired driving causing death, driving while disqualified and breach of an undertaking to abstain from consumption of alcohol. Lawrence Bush, an unlicensed driver, was being reckless with a friend driving while under the influence. He ended up crashing his car upside down into water and left his friend to die.
Bush escaped, but two of his passengers were trapped in the car, including friend Bruno, who was unconscious from the alcohol and whose head was underwater.
Bush refused to help his friends who were stuck until they would agree to a fabricated story to tell police, the court said. The other passenger went for help and when police arrived more than 20 minutes later Bush denied being the driver or knowing any of the passengers.
This was only ten days after his 8th drunk driving conviction! He was previously driving while suspended, and also ad instances of reaching speeds of 170kmp (that's just over 100mph) while driving drunk with friends in the car.
Though the sentence was originally supposed to be only 10 years, Superior Court Judge Joseph Donohue sentenced Bush to 12 years for his "outrageous" conduct - it's the highest sentence Ontario's top court has ever upheld for a fatal drunk driving case.
Bush tried to appeal, stating that the 12 year sentence was beyond the normal range. Although the sentence was "undoubtedly high," the Appeal Court's three-judge panel said Bush's "egregious" behavior justifies it. As the court stated, "It endangered the community. It was fuelled by excessive overconsumption of drugs and alcohol."
If you ask me, 12 years isn't nearly enough.
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