Five-year sentence for impaired driver who killed friend

Kelly Jacobs, 35, was quietly escorted out of a London, Ont. courtroom Friday morning to start serving her prison sentence.

Moments earlier, Senior Justice Bruce Thomas handed down his decision saying that because she already served 5 months before being released on bail, she would have 4 years and seven months remaining in prison.

In October, a jury found Jacobs, who is from Delaware Nation-Moravian of the Thames, guilty of impaired driving causing death.

During the trial, the jury heard how Jacobs had been out on a so-called “booze cruise” with her friends, which included the victim, 23-year-old Beulah Peters.

Peters had been walking along Jubilee Road in Munsee-Delaware in December of 2018 when she was struck by Jacobs.

“[Peters] died as a result of a catastrophic brain injury,” said Justice Thomas.

He said after authorities arrived on the scene that night, “Kelly Jacobs was observed stumbling and staggering...she pushed a police officer...her ability to drive was severely impaired.”

24-year-old Beulah Peters is seen in this undated image. (Source: Elliott Madill Funeral Home)

On top of the five-year prison term, Jacobs also received a 10-year driving prohibition.

Justice Thomas spoke of the impact on both the families involved in this case; adding that Peters’ sister Cindy was convicted of drinking and driving causing death months after the Jacobs incident. Cindy Peters is yet to be sentenced.

The Peters family left the London courthouse and didn’t want to address the media, however, defence lawyer Patricia Brown spoke of the devastation caused by the case.

“These are First Nations people that suffered significantly and as a result of that this is heartbreaking and this is a tragedy,” said Brown. “There’s hurt and nothing anyone can say can bring the victim back and there’s a significant loss here for everyone in these communities.”