Decision next month for young man charged in fatal crash

Beauclair’s vehicle then lost control on the gravel surface of Range Road 261 and crashed into the east ditch, ejecting all three occupants of the backseat and fatally injuring two.

During closing arguments on Thursday, Crown prosecutor Aleksandra Simic told court Beauclair’s manner of driving that night was dangerous to the public.

She cited testimony from an RCMP forensic collision analyst indicating Beauclair’s vehicle was travelling at speeds of 121 – 145 km/hr just prior to the crash.

Simic also noted several warning signs and rumble strips along Highway 808 in advance of a stop sign and stop line clearly visible at the intersection of Highway 595, with no evidence of breaking from Beauclair’s vehicle.

“The goal was to get home in a rushed and speedy fashion,” declared Simic. “A reasonable person would have for-seen the risks and taken step to avoid it.”

Defence lawyer Donna Derie-Gillespie argued the Crown can’t prove most of the warning signs were in place the night of the crash.

“There’s no proof some of those things were there,” claimed Derie-Gillespie. “This is loss of control when the car hit gravel. The manner of driving is very briefly bad choices or very briefly not paying attention.”

Trial testimony revealed Beauclair and girlfriend Shaylene Taberner, who was in the passenger seat, had gotten into an argument after two angry phone calls from her father requesting she get home as soon as possible.

The group of five travelling in Beauclair’s car planned to attend fireworks in Sylvan Lake, then head to a party near Joffre. However, rain in Sylvan Lake led the group to change plans and proceed straight to the party.

Soon after, Taberner’s father called leading to a heated exchange between the couple and the group of friends heading back towards Springbrook.

by Sheldon Spackman

Decision next month for young man charged in fatal crash

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