Serial impaired driver sentenced to 8 years
A St. Thomas, Ont. man was sentenced to eight years in prison on Monday after being found guilty of his fourth and fifth impaired driving charge.
The court heard that Shawn Norris, 61, had been hooked on prescription drugs on the day he drove his Hyundai into oncoming traffic along Highbury Avenue on Oct. 7, 2019.
The head-on crash killed Penny Kay, 68, and injured her husband Paul, both of Sparta.
Norris was found guilty last August on four counts including impaired driving causing death, impaired driving causing bodily harm, dangerous driving causing death and dangerous driving causing bodily harm.
In handing down her sentence of eight years in prison, Justice Patricia Moore said, “Mr. Norris chose to consume drugs that were not prescribed to him.”
She continued, “Mr. Norris was repeatedly warned of the dangers.”
This was not Norris’ first brush with the law, as he had already been convicted on three other impaired driving charges.
The court heard that Norris suffers from depression and mental health issues.
Along with the eight year sentence, Norris was also handed a lifetime driving prohibition.
“In this case the enormous loss of Penny Kay on the lives of her husband, children and grandchildren is immeasurable,” Moore said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Trump confronts repeated boos during raucous Libertarian convention speech
Donald Trump was booed repeatedly while addressing Saturday night’s Libertarian Party National Convention.
This type of screen time has the worst effect on kids: experts
According to some experts, there is one type of screen time that is continuously excessive, and it's having a severe effect on our children.
Family of toddler found dead at small-town Ont. daycare no closer to answers after year of investigation
A year has passed since two-year-old Vienna Irwin was found on the property of a home-based daycare in small-town Ontario, but her family says they are no closer to answers of what happened that day.
Grayson Murray, two-time PGA Tour winner, dead at 30
Two-time PGA Tour winner Grayson Murray died Saturday morning at age 30, one day after he withdrew from the Charles Schwab Cup Challenge at Colonial.
Humboldt Broncos crash victims and families react to decision to deport truck driver
The family of one of the victims of the Humboldt Broncos bus crash in 2018 says they are 'thankful' for a decision by a Calgary immigration board to deport the driver of the truck involved.
Fatal plane crash reported near Squamish, B.C.
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada has confirmed it is working with local Mounties and the BC Coroners Service after a plane crash near Squamish, B.C. Friday night.
'God forgives but we don’t': Loud outburst from stabbing victim’s family during sentencing hearing
An emotional outburst in a London, Ont. courtroom Friday disrupted the sentencing hearing of a woman who pleaded guilty for her part in the death of 29-year-old Mohammed Abdallah.
Three dead after vehicle plunged down a 100-foot embankment in Shediac, N.B.
Three people have died after a vehicle veered off the road in Shediac N.B., Friday morning.
Appeal denied for Edmonton soldier accused of trying to kill her 3 children
An Edmonton woman found guilty of trying to kill her three children has been denied an appeal.