A driver in a hurry to get to work killed a mother by making a dangerous overtaking in the wrong direction, two years ago, at the wheel of her F-250 pickup truck. In front of the relatives of the victim, Paul-André Côté was sentenced to one year in prison on Friday, at the Saint-Hyacinthe courthouse.
“A 12-month prison sentence may seem lenient in view of the tragic consequence, but no sentence can fill the void left by the loss of a loved one,” said Judge Sacha Blais, endorsing the common suggestion. Parties.
Paul-André Côté, 39, pleaded guilty last month to one count of dangerous driving causing death. The victim, Martine Beaupré, 33, was a mother of two young children from Acton Vale.
The fatal collision occurred on November 13, 2020 on a row in Saint-Liboire, a small town near Saint-Hyacinthe, in Montérégie. At noon, Martine Beaupré goes to her husband’s work to bring him his lunch. To do this, she must turn left into a driveway and thus cross the lane in the other direction.
As she slows down to make her maneuver, several vehicles behind her do the same. Visibly unhappy with this sudden slowdown, Paul-André Côté decided to pass the vehicles on the left by driving in the opposite lane. Its speed then varies between 77 and 120 km/h in a zone of 90 km/h.
However, the driver is unaware that the source of this slowdown is due to the maneuver of the victim a little further in front of him. His F-250 pickup truck then crashed into the victim’s vehicle at the exact moment it turned into the driveway. The mother has no chance. His vehicle is violently thrown into the ditch.
“The lives of several people have been turned upside down by this tragic event, including those of his two children who lost their mother. The victim was always there to help and advise others. His death leaves a huge void and still affects several members of the family today. The Court is sensitive to the consequences and the pain experienced by the family members,” shared Judge Blais.
PHOTO FROM THE UBALD LALIME FUNERAL COMPLEX WEBSITE
Martine Beaupré, the victim
According to the magistrate, a 12-month prison sentence is justified in this case, since the offender has an “almost zero” risk of recidivism, is an asset to society and has no criminal history. Moreover, he was unaware that a vehicle was going to turn left, underlined the judge.
Paul-André Côté, a greenhouse fitter, will also be banned from driving for three years.