Lawyers for the hit-and-run driver who hit and killed a 24-year-old Irish man in Vancouver two years ago say he should serve two to three years in prison, plus a five-year driving ban years.
Alexandre Romero-Arata, 28, pleaded guilty to criminal negligence causing death in the June 19, 2022, collision in Kitsilano that left Eoghan Byrne dead.
The court has previously heard that he had been drinking, reached speeds of up to 152 km/h and ran several red lights before fatally striking Byrne at the intersection of West 4th Avenue and Arbutus Street.
On Monday, in Vancouver Provincial Court, lawyer Sarah Leamon acknowledged that “the circumstances of this offense are appalling” and that the consequences of the accident were “irreparable and absolutely devastating.”
Romero-Arata declined to speak in court, but Leamon read a letter he wrote on his behalf, stating that he was “deeply sorry for the loss you have suffered as a result of my actions” and that ” I am deeply sad and remorseful.”
Receive national news daily
Get the day’s top news, politics, business and current affairs headlines delivered to your inbox once a day.
Byrne’s parents, who were visiting from Ireland, were in the courtroom, his father holding a framed photo of his son.
Leamon told the court that Romero-Arata grew up in an abusive home and entered the foster care system at age 16, where he was “introduced to a bad lifestyle.”
The court heard he had struggled with drug addiction for much of his life, starting as a teenager, and was the grandson of a residential school survivor.
Romero-Arata’s defense also provided seven letters of support to the court, in which his mother described him as a “caring son,” his father called him a “curious and affectionate young man” and a friend called him “compassionate, authentic and affectionate. sincere.”
This led Provincial Court Judge Reg Harris to ask why none of the letters mentioned Romero-Arata’s past anti-social behavior, including criminal convictions.
“How can I reconcile these letters with his conviction for sexual assault and his conviction for evading the police? » asked Harris.
Leamon said the letters demonstrated Romero-Arata’s commitment to rehabilitation and the support he has in the community, adding that his mother would give him a full-time job as a housekeeper at her business after his release. .
The Crown submitted sentencing submissions in October and is seeking a five-year sentence and a five-year driving ban.
During those hearings, the court played a video recorded by a passenger in Romero-Arata’s vehicle before the crash, which showed him speeding, smiling and saying, “I won’t stop without a red light.”
The court heard that Romero-Arata fled the scene and called 911 the next day to falsely report that his car had been stolen the previous evening.
The court also heard a victim impact statement from the friend who was with Byrne when he was hit, who said: “Eoghan completely disappeared before my eyes” and “I cried and screamed in shock and the horror of seeing my friend’s body destroyed. »
The court also previously heard that Romero-Arata’s driving record included 15 Motor Vehicle Act incidents in just 18 months, including several after the fatal crash.
In December 2023, he was convicted of sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl three years ago.
Judge Harris is expected to pronounce sentence Friday.
© 2024 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.