A man who sped from Calgary police in a stolen minivan, causing a crash that killed a nine-year-old girl, was sentenced Thursday to 10 years in prison.
Provincial court Justice Indra Maharaj said Duane Nepoose presented a serious risk to the public on Boxing Day of 2024.
At one point, he was going at least 170 kilometres per hour on a busy stretch of road.
“Ultimately, he entered the intersection … against a red light … and collided with several vehicles,” said the judge.
“The consequences of the collision were devastating.”
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One of the other cars was carrying Victoria Desjardins and her family.
She died soon after in hospital.
Her mother, Amanda Reitmeier, and sister Madison Desjardins, who was 12, were both seriously injured.
Nepoose, 32, pleaded guilty last summer to charges of dangerous driving causing death, dangerous driving causing bodily harm, robbery and fleeing a police officer.
The judge gave him credit for time he has already spent in custody, leaving him with a prison term of 7 1/2 years.
Maharaj said she took into account mitigating factors, including that Nepoose had a troubled childhood.
The defence asked for a sentence of seven to nine years, while the Crown asked for between 9 1/2 and 10 1/2 years.
Prosecutor Todd Buziak said it has been a long and emotional case for Victoria’s family.
“I had a chance to speak to the family, and they’re pleased with the sentence,” he said outside court.
“For them, it reflects justice in respect of what they had to go through.”
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