R. v. Wright (N.B.), 2003 ABQB 557

• Judge: Sullivan, J.
• Court: Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta (Canada)
• Case Date: May 23, 2003
• Citations: 2003 ABQB 557;(2003), 349 A.R. 125 (QB)

R. v. Wright (N.B.) (2003), 349 A.R. 125 (QB)

MLB headnote and full text

Temp. Cite: [2003] A.R. TBEd. SE.036

Her Majesty the Queen v. Norman B. Wright

(Action No. 020727368Q1; 2003 ABQB 557)

Indexed As: R. v. Wright (N.B.)

Alberta Court of Queen's Bench

Judicial District of Calgary

Sullivan, J.

August 26, 2003.

Summary:

The accused pled guilty to dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing bodily harm, failure to stop at the scene of an accident and assault.

The Alberta Court of Queen's Bench sentenced the accused to a total of two years' imprisonment and imposed a five year driving prohibition.

Criminal Law - Topic 5798

Punishments (sentence) - Prohibition orders - Respecting driving of motor vehicle - [See Criminal Law - Topic 5861 ].

Criminal Law - Topic 5842.1

Sentencing - Considerations - Post-conviction conduct - [See Criminal Law - Topic 5861 ].

Criminal Law - Topic 5861

Sentence - Assault - Sostar attempted to assist a friend who was involved in an altercation with Wright and his friends - Wright "sucker-punched" Sostar - Sostar left and went to his car - Wright followed, got into his truck, deliberately drove into Sostar, and sped away from the scene - Sostar was seriously injured - Wright, aged 23, pled guilty to dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing bodily harm, failure to stop at the scene of an accident and assault - Lengthy teenage record, including dangerous operation of a motor vehicle and assault causing bodily harm - Months after the arrest, he was charged and convicted of careless driving involving another pedestrian who narrowly avoided injury - Alcohol and anger problems - Sole provider for his family - Gainfully employed - The Alberta Court of Queen's Bench sentenced the accused to two years' imprisonment and imposed a five year driving prohibition - Denunciation and deterrence were the predominant sentencing objectives - The courts had to send a strong message that dangerous driving causing bodily harm in circumstances where a vehicle was used as a weapon against a pedestrian was intolerable conduct that would generally attract a sentence of incarceration.

Criminal Law - Topic 5865.1

Sentence - Dangerous driving causing bodily harm - [See Criminal Law - Topic 5861 ].

Criminal Law - Topic 5866

Sentence - Leaving scene of an accident - [See Criminal Law - Topic 5861 ].

Cases Noticed:

R. v. Proulx (J.K.D.), [2000] 1 S.C.R. 61; 249 N.R. 201; 142 Man.R.(2d) 161; 212 W.A.C. 161; 140 C.C.C.(3d) 449, refd to. [para. 13].

R. v. C.A.M., [1996] 1 S.C.R. 500; 194 N.R. 321; 73 B.C.A.C. 81; 120 W.A.C. 81; 105 C.C.C.(3d) 327; 46 C.R.(4th) 267, refd to. [para. 17].

R. v. An (T.S.) (2001), 302 A.R. 149 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 18].

R. v. Regan (G.A.), [2002] 1 S.C.R. 297; 282 N.R. 1; 201 N.S.R.(2d) 63; 629 A.P.R. 63, refd to. [para. 19].

R. v. Ng (K.-F.) (2003), 327 A.R. 215; 296 W.A.C. 215; 173 C.C.C.(3d) 349 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 19].

R. v. Stone (B.T.), [1999] 2 S.C.R. 290; 239 N.R. 201; 123 B.C.A.C. 1; 201 W.A.C. 1, refd to. [para. 20].

R. v. McDonnell (T.E.), [1997] 1 S.C.R. 948; 210 N.R. 241; 196 A.R. 321; 141 W.A.C. 321, refd to. [para. 22].

R. v. Ostertag (2000), 266 A.R. 57; 228 W.A.C. 57; 35 C.R.(5th) 350 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 22].

R. v. Rahime (S.) et al., [2001] 10 W.W.R. 428; 286 A.R. 377; 253 W.A.C. 377; 156 C.C.C.(3d) 349 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 23].

R. v. Ambrose (2000), 271 A.R. 164; 234 W.A.C. 164 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 28].

R. v. Vijay (D.) (2002), 324 A.R. 320 (Q.B.), dist. [para. 31].

R. v. Kyle (C.G.) (2001), 291 A.R. 201 (Prov. Ct.), dist. [para. 31].

R. v. Perez (J.C.) (2001), 285 A.R. 336 (Prov. Ct.), refd to. [para. 31].

R. v. Huwald (R.K.) (1999), 250 A.R. 153; 213 W.A.C. 153 (C.A.), dist. [para. 31].

R. v. Tonka (B.E.) (1999), 228 A.R. 388; 188 W.A.C. 388 (C.A.), dist. [para. 31].

R. v. Watkins (D.B.) (1994), 149 A.R. 235; 63 W.A.C. 235 (C.A.), dist. [para. 31].

R. v. Howard (1991), 120 A.R. 29; 8 W.A.C. 29 (C.A.), dist. [para. 31].

R. v. Stubel (1990), 109 A.R. 1 (C.A.), dist. [para. 31].

R. v. Horon (1990), 107 A.R. 328; 58 C.C.C.(3d) 418 (C.A.), dist. [para. 31].

R. v. Boomer (C.A.) (2001), 154 B.C.A.C. 178; 252 W.A.C. 178; 153 C.C.C.(3d) 425 (C.A.), dist. [para. 31].

R. v. McKenzie (T.A.) (2000), 148 Man.R.(2d) 63; 224 W.A.C. 63 (C.A.), dist. [para. 31].

R. v. Mould (M.) (2000), 135 O.A.C. 294 (C.A.), dist. [para. 31].

R. v. Stone (M.F.) (2001), 161 B.C.A.C. 181; 263 W.A.C. 181 (C.A.), dist. [para. 32].

R. v. Marchbank (1990), 82 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 17; 257 A.P.R. 17 (P.E.I.T.D.), refd to. [para. 33].

R. v. Girard (1990), 32 Q.A.C. 119 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 34].

R. v. Dingwall (M.G.) (1994), 130 N.S.R.(2d) 170; 367 A.P.R. 170 (S.C.), refd to. [para. 35].

R. v. Chisholm (C.B.) (1998), 169 N.S.R.(2d) 328; 508 A.P.R. 328 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 36].

R. v. Coehlo, [1999] O.J. No. 2255 (Sup. Ct.), refd to. [para. 37].

R. v. Hindes (S.C.) (2000), 261 A.R. 108; 225 W.A.C. 108 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 38].

R. v. Pritchard (L.K.) (1995), 169 A.R. 46; 97 W.A.C. 46 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 38].

R. v. Rees (C.J.) (1993), 145 A.R. 64; 55 W.A.C. 64 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 38].

R. v. Beneteau (1988), 8 M.V.R.(2d) 228 (Alta. C.A.), refd to. [para. 38].

R. v. Holman (1985), 63 A.R. 231 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 38].

R. v. Brady (J.R.) (1998), 209 A.R. 321; 160 W.A.C. 321; 121 C.C.C.(3d) 504 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 41].

Authors and Works Noticed:

Manson, Allan, Law of Sentencing (2001), pp. 92 [paras. 14, 18]; 93 [para. 14].

Counsel:

P.E. Yelle, Q.C., for the Crown;

A. Hepner, Q.C., for the accused.

This matter was heard on May 23, 2003, before Sullivan, J., of the Alberta Court of Queen's Bench, Judicial District of Calgary, who delivered the following written reasons on August 26, 2003.