'Pain on their innocent faces,' children and widow of drunk driving victim speak in court
In a packed but silent courtroom 10-year-old Risham Karbanda walked to the witness box with her teenage sister by her side her and spoke about the loss of her father to a drunk driver.
"I wish I could go back to the day it happened and stop my dad from leaving the house," said Risham.
Taxi driver Amritpal Kharbanda, 46, and his passenger, Jillian Lavallee, 25, died in May 2015 after Ali Montoya, who was drunk, ran a red light slamming his Cadillac Escalade into the cab.
Montoya pleaded guilty earlier this year to two counts of criminal negligence causing death and one count of criminal negligence causing bodily harm.
The 21-year-old was driving 123 km/h two-and-a-half seconds before running a red light on Macleod Trail and 12th Avenue S.E. The red light camera clocked him at 98 km/h right before he hit a small car, which then struck the taxi.
'Hugs, affection, morning kisses'
On Wednesday, Montoya's sentencing hearing began with statements read by his victims' family members.
"Sometimes I wish we were all in the same car with him so we did not have to live without him," said Kharbanda's widow Harpreet.
Throughout the hearing, Montoya, 21, who is out on bail, sat in the prisoner's box with his head buried in his hands.
Harpreet said the family moved to Canada from India just six years before the fatal crash and had recently become Canadian citizens.
The Kharbandas were already struggling to settle in with so many friends and family left behind in India. Losing Amripal has "shattered" the family.
"All they are left with is pain on their innocent faces," said the mother of her daughters. "Smiles are gone ... I find myself helpless"
"We miss him every second, his hugs, affection, morning kisses."
'Our family has fallen apart into pieces'
Crown prosecutors Kevin Doyle and Scott Wilson and defence lawyers Alain Hepner and Kelsey Sitar are making a joint recommendation for a four-and-a-half year prison sentence.
Kharbanda died at the scene, Lavallee a few hours later in hospital.
"Our family has fallen apart into pieces," said Kharbanda's 16-year-old daughter Jagnoor. "My sweet and handsome kind dad with a heart of gold is gone forever ."
Kharbanda had a post-graduate degree in business but Jagnoor said he chose to work in Canada as a taxi driver so that he could help get his children to school when his wife worked off hours.
Jillian Lavallee's family will make their victim impact statements Wednesday afternoon.
