Ottawa driver gets 2 years for injuring 5 cyclists
The Ottawa driver convicted of striking and injuring five cyclists and leaving the scene of the 2009 crash has been sentenced to two years less a day.
Sommit Luangpakham, 47, was found guilty on all 10 charges of dangerous driving causing bodily harm and leaving the scene of an accident in the Kanata, Ont., crash.
Justice Monique Mativier sentenced the man to nine months for dangerous driving and 15 months for leaving the scene of the crash, which will be served consecutively.
She said there was no evidence of recklessness in his driving, but a lack of human decency when Luangpakham did not remain at the scene.
The Crown attorney had sought a four-year sentence while Luangpakham's defence lawyer Richard Addelman had asked for between 12 and 18 months.
Luangpakham also made a formal apology to the victims at court Monday, the CBC's Laurie Fagan reports.
The man turned to the victims and bowed his head, saying he was "very sorry" for the pain he caused them. Luangpakham said he would have turned around if he knew he hit them and will live with this for the "rest of my life."
He was originally found guilty Oct. 20 in Ontario Superior Court in Ottawa.
The five Kanata cyclists were riding single file in a bicycle lane on March Road in July 2009 when they were struck by Luangpakham's van. Four of the five cyclists were seriously hurt.
Victim impact statements were read in court Friday.
After the sentence was read Monday, victim Cathy Anderson said the decision was "fair."
Speaking to reporters outside the Ottawa court, Anderson said she did not want another person's life destroyed because of this crash, as she and her partner Robert Wein continue to live with their injuries as a result of that day.
