Sometimes, we hear or read about cases that suggest there is a double standard of justice in this country.
This is one that jumps off the page to me.
In Chilliwack court, an RCMP officer pleaded guilty in a deadly crash that claimed the life of a 20-year-old man. The on-duty officer crashed head on into the other vehicle.
A charge of dangerous driving causing death was stayed.
He has been fined a total of $1,725. No details of the crash were published.
Justice Peter Willcock ordered a Calgary man to pay a $7,500 fine and prohibited him from driving for 18 months after he pleaded guilty to a charge of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle.
Michael Bell was charged after his friend following him at high speed crashed and killed himself and seriously injured his passengers.
In this case, Bell had no direct connection to the crash. It could be argued that if the victim had slowed down, Bell would have as well.
The RCMP driver on the other hand was directly responsible for the death of the driver in the car he hit head on.
There is no mention of a driving suspension for the officer.
The sentences should be reversed.
It will be interesting to compare the sentence of Const. Geoff Mantler to similar cases involving civilians where they have assaulted another person at gunpoint.
Gord Marshall,
Kelowna