Ryan John Grob, 36, has been sentenced to six years in jail following the 2019 hit-and-run death of Spencer Alexander Moore in Parksville.
Grob was charged with impaired driving causing death. On Friday (Sept. 3) in Nanaimo provincial court, Judge Karen Whonnock handed down the sentence. Following his jail time, Grob will be banned from driving for eight years.
At the start of FridayB次元官网网址檚 hearing, Whonnock said how the provided victim impact statements by MooreB次元官网网址檚 family played an important role in the sentencing process.
B次元官网网址淭he loss of Mr. Spencer Moore, as a family member and friend, is immeasurable. It is clear to the court that Mr. Moore was deeply loved and is greatly missed,B次元官网网址� she said.
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B次元官网网址淣o matter what sentence I may order, a sentence can do nothing to bring back the victim of this tragedy. The sentence today should not be considered a value on Mr. MooreB次元官网网址檚 life, which everybody would agree, is priceless.B次元官网网址�
Before rendering her sentence, the judge listed several aggravating factors that were considered throughout the four-part hearing.
GrobB次元官网网址檚 high speed during the incident, which he admitted ranged between 84 km/h to 94 km/h in a 50 km/h zone, and the steps he took to avoid detection and prosecution were deeply concerning to the court.
His multiple driving offences, both before and after the fatality, the fact he used cocaine on the night of the fatality, the fact he had been warned by other by others not to drive that night due to his high level of intoxication, and his risk to re-offend, were also aggravating factors Whonnock listed.
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B次元官网网址淭hese actions are very troubling to me,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚 have not seen a similar case with such aggravated elements that matches the deceitful acts of concealment of Mr. Grob.B次元官网网址�
The continued driving infractions, Whonnock said, B次元官网网址渃alls to question whether or not Grob took the privilege of driving seriously.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淒riving while impaired is a reprehensible criminal act and has caused countless fatalities across Canada. Driving intoxicated is reckless and dangerous and puts the public at risk,B次元官网网址� she said.
Although a guilty plea came months after the incident and was only offered after multiple acts to deceive police, it still spared the Moore family the trauma of having to sit through a contested trial, something Whonnock considered as a mitigating factor.
In court, the judge said she believed his apology and remorse were genuine, as were his efforts to receive counselling for alcohol and drug treatment, noting that Grob attended 20 to 25 Alcoholics Anonymous meetings since the incident.
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After the final hearing, Jessica Wallis-Moore, SpencerB次元官网网址檚 common-law sister-in-law, said she had hoped Whonnock would B次元官网网址渟et a barB次元官网网址� with her earlier statement of considering a longer sentence than the suggested six-year jail sentence by Crown counsel.
B次元官网网址淭hat didnB次元官网网址檛 happen today,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淎s Brandon (MooreB次元官网网址檚 brother) said, it will never bring Spencer back, but itB次元官网网址檚 something. Judge WhonnockB次元官网网址檚 decision for six years, we appreciate it. We appreciate her words in the courtroom. We appreciate her time and attention to this, to SpencerB次元官网网址檚 life. Eight years would have been better. After this, IB次元官网网址檒l be advocating.B次元官网网址�
Reportedly in the vehicle with Grob during the fatal hit-and-run was Travis Zackery Taylor, who is scheduled for his own sentencing hearing on Sept. 30 for willfully attempting to obstruct, pervert, or defeat the course of justice.
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