Trial begins for woman charged with careless driving in death of senior
The last thing Patricia Wilton says she remembers was hearing a bang, then everything went grey.
When she came to her senses, the 63-year-old says she was flat on her back in the parking lot of her mother's Edmonton apartment looking up at the October sky.
Wilton says she turned to her left and saw the grill of a black SUV. Realizing she had been hit by a vehicle, Wilton says she then looked to her right.
Her 85-year-old mother Doreen French was lying on the concrete completely still, Wilton said. French died 12 days later in hospital.
Wilton was the first witness to testify Tuesday in the trial of Marion Rickett-Beebee, who is accused of careless driving under provincial Traffic Safety Act.
Rickett-Beebee, 55, admits she was driving the vehicle that collided with French and Wilson on Oct. 18, 2018, outside Heritage Park Towers in south Edmonton, the Crown prosecutor said as the trial began. French died from multiple blunt force injuries sustained during the collision, according to the defence's admissions.
Rickett-Beebee is not facing criminal charges.
Over the course of the trial, prosecutor Fraser Genuis will attempt to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Rickett-Beebee, a nurse who assisted clients in the apartment complex, was driving without due care and attention or without reasonable consideration of other people using the road.
Rickett-Beebee is defended by lawyer Darin Slaferek. The case is being heard by Provincial Court Judge Joyce Lester.
'It's been stuck in my mind for two years'
Wilton testified she was walking her mother on the day of the crash to visit a friend in the south tower. The two had a close relationship, Wilton said, taking every chance to hug or hold hands.
On the short walk to the adjacent tower, Wilton said they stepped onto the parking lot road to avoid some pipes or a barricade on the sidewalk — that's when they were hit by an SUV.
Wilton recalled a woman approached her on the ground.
"She was saying, 'I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry. Are you okay?'," Wilton testified. "She ran over to where my mom was and that's the last I saw of her."
As a result of the incident, Wilton said she suffered a number of injuries, including a severed right femur and a fractured vertebrae.
Wayne Cherrington, 79, says he witnessed the crash from the deck of his apartment on the fourth storey of the west tower. Testifying Tuesday, he said his wife first noticed the car driving toward the two women.
"The lady is going too fast, she's not going to be able to stop," Cherrington recalled his wife saying.
"I was hoping to see a brake light. I looked at the back of the Dodge Journey but didn't see any," he said. "It's been stuck in my mind now for two years."
The defence also said at the trial's outset that the vehicle had no operational issues that contributed to the collision and the brake lights were operational.
Sophie Lee, 89, testified she also saw the incident from her 10th-floor balcony.
"I remember thinking that, 'Oh you got to slow down' and before I could finish the thought the car hit the ladies," she said. "It was like rag dolls that were being thrown."
The court also heard from an Edmonton police officer who says he took Rickett-Beebee's statement at the scene. She showed no signs of impairment, he said, noting she was concerned about the welfare of French and Wilton.
"She spoke with a tremble in her voice and had some trouble making a complete sentence," Const. Michael Pollock told the court.
The trial is set to continue for the rest of the week.
