A man convicted killing a Ladysmith woman in 2015 will spend six years behind bars.

Dustin Dennis Zinter, who was found guilty earlier this year of dangerous driving causing death, failing to remain at the scene of an accident and failure to provide a breath sample, was sentenced to six years in prison by Judge Robin Baird on Friday, Oct. 12. He also received a five-year driving ban.

Zinter was involved in a head-on collision on Yellow Point Road Nov. 10, 2015, after the Dodge pickup truck he was driving hit a smaller Toyota pickup driven by Heidi Barbara Plato, 51, killing her.

Baird, while handing down the sentence, described the accident as a B次元官网网址渉orrendous collisionB次元官网网址� that was B次元官网网址渆ntirely avoidable.B次元官网网址� He said ZinterB次元官网网址檚 inability to remain at the scene was B次元官网网址渋nhumane.B次元官网网址�

Before the sentence was delivered, Zinter addresses the court, apologizing to the family.

B次元官网网址淚 am sorry. I am sorry,B次元官网网址� he said.

However, Baird said ZinterB次元官网网址檚 apology was B次元官网网址渧ery lateB次元官网网址� and B次元官网网址渨eak.B次元官网网址�

Speaking to the media afterwards, Nick Barber, Crown counsel, who had sought a six-year sentence, was pleased with the result.

B次元官网网址淭hese kind of offences are more and more common and they need to be taken seriously,B次元官网网址� he said.

The total sentencing added up to more than six years, but some of the time will be served concurrently.

During the first day of sentencing Oct. 5, victim impact statements were presented to the court. Pete Vivzari, who was PlatoB次元官网网址檚 partner, called Zinter a coward and then stared him down.

B次元官网网址淵ouB次元官网网址檙e a coward. You were a coward that night when this happented, when you ran away and hid in the ditch, you were a coward in this courtroom and youB次元官网网址檒l always be a coward until you can admit what happened that night,B次元官网网址� Vizvari said.

Adrienne Breen said she lost a friend, but the community could have lost anyone that night.

B次元官网网址淲hat a brutal, cruel thing to have to tell our children B次元官网网址� We had to tell them Heidi was killed in a preventable accident and we will never see her again,B次元官网网址� Breen said. B次元官网网址淚 hope the root cause of this accident is addressed. The next time you operate a vehicle, I hope youB次元官网网址檒l remember our friend Heidi and operate it with care and attention.B次元官网网址�

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The trial began on June 18, but Zinter fired his legal counsel, Stephen Taylor, after Barber had presented his case and prior to Taylor presenting ZinterB次元官网网址檚 defence.

Zinter missed a June 28 court date, and Judge Robin Baird, issued a warrant for his arrest and he was subsequently apprehended later in the day.

Zinter decided to represent himself and refuted all of BarberB次元官网网址檚 claims, stating Plato had veered into his lane. Zinter said he didnB次元官网网址檛 drink alcohol before the accident, rather he drank after and was not hiding in a ditch, as had been stated during witness testimony, but rather was sitting down. He denied previous statements he had made related to cellphone usage and said records showing multiple calls to his ex-girlfriend were made due to an auto-dialing phone application.

Zinter also said he didnB次元官网网址檛 provide a breath sample because he thought he was being asked to provide a blood sample and was being asked too many things at once.

reporter@nanaimobulletin.com
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