Woman pleads guilty in impaired driving death

A shaky-looking Christine Marchand wiped away tears in provincial court in Port Coquitlam on Monday morning as she pleaded guilty to impaired driving causing death.

Marchand was scheduled to go to trial on three charges — impaired driving causing death, causing an accident resulting in death and dangerous driving causing death — in connection with a crash that happened in May 2013 and claimed the life of cyclist Jon Burtynski.

Shortly before 3 a.m. on May 24, 2013, a Ridge Meadows RCMP officer noticed a white Kia Sportage speeding eastbound on Dewdney Trunk Road near 232nd Street. The officer turned around and followed the SUV, which he intended to stop.

However, by the time the officer caught up to the SUV in the 24300-block Dewdney Trunk, the vehicle had crashed and caught on fire. The officer used the fire extinguisher in his car to put out the fire and helped Marchand out of her vehicle.

Another officer who arrived after the crash noticed a bicycle on the side of the road and a police dog was brought in to search the area. Burtynski, 36, was found in a wooded area.

After Marchand was charged in December 2013, police said they believed aggressive driving and alcohol were factors in the crash.

A large group of Burtynski’s family and friends was in court for the plea. Some were in tears during Marchand’s appearance.

Defence lawyer Terry La Liberté told the court that he didn’t want his client’s silence in court to be seen as callous disregard for the family and how they have suffered since Burtynski’s death.

La Liberté said his client has, “through other vehicles,” expressed her sincere remorse for what happened.

“This is something she is going to have to live with the rest of her life,” he said.

A psychological report was ordered and a sentencing date will be set in October.