A 23-year-old Prince Albert man has been sentenced to 20 months behind bars for drunkenly running over and killing a 17-year-old girl from Southend in the city’s West Flat.
Over two dozen friends and family members of Danika Clarke attended the hearing into her death in Prince Albert Provincial Court yesterday.
Kirk David Ross pleaded guilty to a charge of impaired driving causing death and two breaches of probation.
Ross hit the girl with his vehicle and fled the scene on November 19, 2011.
Crown prosecutor Shawn Blackmon says he’s satisfied with the sentence:
“The Crown’s position was two-and-a-half years after time spent on remand. The sentence given certainly is within the range — though there were a number of aggravating factors that were at play in the particular circumstances.”
Ross’ lawyer, Ron Piche, says his client is extremely remorseful:
“He’s been very deferential — he’s a very polite young man. He obviously suffered from some alcohol issues, which he got treatment for long before sentence. So, I think he’s genuine when he says he’s remorseful.”
A statement from the girl’s mother was read in court in which she said her heart was crushed by the devastating news of her daughter’s death.
The assembled family members, many of whom are from Southend, declined to comment after leaving the courthouse.
Judge Hugh Harradence called the crime “senseless”, and one that resulted in the “needless loss of a 17-year-old girl”.