Drunk driver gets 16 months for ‘life-altering’ crash

A drunk driver who severely injured two men when he slid into oncoming traffic during a 2012 snowstorm was sentenced to 16 months in jail Thursday.

Steven Garth VanBeek and the two victims were not wearing seat belts. All suffered devastating injuries.

“There is no doubt that these events have been lifealtering,” provincial court Judge Donna Groves wrote in her sentencing decision. “No sentence imposed by this court could possible repair the damage done to the victims and their families, or instil any satisfaction or comfort.”

On Jan. 14, 2012, VanBeek was driving southbound on Manning Drive through blowing snow when he lost control of his truck and drove over the median into oncoming traffic. Paul Raymond and passenger William Hilchey were headed northbound and slammed into VanBeek’s truck.

Raymond suffered a brain injury and broken bones in his face, leg, hip and back. Raymond, who will never fully recover from his brain injury, does not remember the accident.

“It took my husband 11 months to come home to his family and he’s still not the same,” his wife, Frances Mundy, said outside court.

Hi lchey, a long time paraplegic, went into cardiac arrest at the Royal Alexandra Hospital for several minutes before he was resuscitated. Both his legs were broken.

VanBeek also suffered serious injuries.

In November 2013, VanBeek was caught driving drunk and his licence was suspended. Only three weeks after that, he was caught driving while suspended.

VanBeek received concurrent sentences of 16 months after he pleaded guilty to two counts of impaired driving causing bodily harm. Once he is released, he will be on probation for two years and banned from driving for five.