Family gets ‘closure’ as man jailed for crash death

The family of a woman killed in a 2016 vehicle crash says seeing the man responsible going to jail gives them closure.

Court of Queen’s Bench Justice James Neilson sentenced Bruderheim man Todd Lambert to two years less a day on Friday after he pleaded guilty to killing Natalie Hawkins in a vehicle collision in Fort Saskatchewan. Neilson also imposed a five-year driving ban once Lambert finishes his sentence.

Hawkins’ mother, Hilda Hawkins, and her twin sister, Nicole Hawkins, attended the sentencing hearing and called it a relief.

“It’s a closure,” Hilda Hawkins said. “It has been hanging over our heads for almost four years. Just being able to stop and take a breath and say ‘OK, he’s not in (Bruderheim) anymore with us. We got a break.’ He’s going to pay something for what he’s done. That’s the best you can hope for.”

Nicole Hawkins described her sister, a mother of two, as someone who would always step up to help anyone. “We lost a good soul that day,” she added.

Lambert pleaded guilty on Nov. 27, 2018, to the dangerous driving charge but in January he tried to have that plea withdrawn. Neilson denied his request.

During the sentencing, Neilson went over the facts of the case and the reasons for his decision. On May 20, 2016, Lambert was driving a Mercedes sedan when he crashed at a high speed into the back of Natalie Hawkins’ SUV.

Collision reconstructionists determined the Mercedes was travelling about 200 km/ h. Lambert had about two grams of marijuana on him at the time of his arrest.

Lambert, who suffers from seizures, was told by his doctor not to drive. The court heard that Lambert suffered a seizure at the time of the crash. He had traces of marijuana in his system.

Neilson took into account Lambert’s medical condition, the doctor’s orders not to drive and his actions that took a life. He also recognized Lambert’s guilty plea but added the act was lessened somewhat since he tried to withdraw it.

Lambert, who represented himself, sat beside his longtime friend Colleen Galloway. She said the decision will be appealed and she hopes to have him out on bail.

“It sucks seeing such a good friend get taken away when you know they are innocent,” Galloway said. “Now I have to jump through hoops to get him his medication because he doesn’t have it. He will have a seizure and we will have another issue.”