Drunk driver who killed three sobs as families speak of losses

A drunk driver who killed three people including two cyclists broke down and sobbed Tuesday as emotional victim impact statements were read out in court.

In February, Samuel Michael Alec, 45, pleaded guilty to three counts of impaired driving causing the deaths of cyclists Ross Chafe, 50, and Kelly Blunden, 53, as well as Paul Pierre, 52, a close friend of Alec who was a passenger in the accused’s vehicle.

Following a period of binge drinking and with his blood alcohol level at nearly three times the legal limit for driving, Alec crossed the centre line of Highway 99 north of Pemberton and crashed head-on into the cyclists, who died on the scene. Pierre also died at the scene.

Alec’s sentencing hearing, which began on Monday, continued Tuesday in B.C. Supreme Court with more victim impact statements from the families of Chafe and Pierre.

Martina Pierre, 80, Pierre’s mother, stood at a microphone, facing Alec, and told the court that her deceased son Paul would like to extend a message to Alec, who she referred to as “Farmer.”

“I want you to carry the torch to healing and reconciliation for our First Nations people,” she said to Alec on behalf of her son. “It’s too bad that such a tragedy has come along. I am in a new country now, happy country. Let me go.”

As Pierre spoke, Alec began sobbing as he sat in the prisoner’s dock in the Vancouver courtroom.

The mother, a councillor with the Lilwat Nation, said that she also wished to speak to the Blunden and Chafe families.

“My son Paul and the Pierre family extend our love, hugs and prayers for your great loss of love ones,” she said.

“May we all heal together in the grief of our losses but also remember to pray for Farmer and those like Farmer that are dealing with addictions, drugs and being victims in a country that is known as First Nations.”

Earlier, several members of Chafe’s family, including his wife Dr. Lizanne Bussieres, addressed the court in their victim impact statements.

“Ross was a loving husband,” Bussieres told B.C. Supreme Court Justice William Ehrcke. “He was full of energy and always so positive. He loved nature, which was the reason why we moved to Whistler.”

Bussieres, a family doctor in Whistler and a former Olympic marathoner, described her husband, also a world-class athlete, as being a devoted father to their three daughters.

“He was so proud of them. It breaks my heart thinking that they will have to grow old without the mentorship of their father.”

Crown counsel Adrienne Lee told the judge that the circumstances of the offence were “beyond tragic” and called for denunciation and deterrence.

“Paul Pierre, Kelly Blunden and Ross Chafe lost their lives and while the accused did not mean for them to lose their lives, let me make one thing clear. He meant to drink, he meant to drive. None of this had to happen. The accused is fully and entirely responsible.” The hearing is expected to continue Wednesday with defence submissions.