79-year-old who drove into girl guides, killing 8-year-old in London, sentenced to 2 years of house arrest
CBC
The 79-year-old London, Ont., woman convicted of driving her car into a troop of girl guides, killing an eight-year-old girl and injuring seven others in 2021, was sentenced Tuesday to two years less a day of house arrest, followed by three years of probation that includes a driving ban.
Petronella McNorgan, a 79-year-old retired teacher, was convicted in April of one count of criminal negligence causing death and seven counts of criminal negligence causing bodily harm.
A publication ban is in place to protect the identity of the victims.
Ontario Superior Court Justice Pamela Hebner delivered the sentence at the London Courthouse. The courtroom was packed with family members of the victims, including the mother and father of the eight-year-old who died.
McNorgan drove her Honda CRV westbound through the intersection of Wonderland Road and Riverside Drive at high speed on the evening of Nov. 30, 2021, reaching speeds of 121 km/h.
The vehicle clipped the back bumper of a Jeep stopped at a red light and struck a light pole. It then slammed into a group of guides and their chaperones as they walked on a sidewalk toward a nearby green space to make snow owls.
Seven other troop members who were walking with the group suffered injuries, some of them life altering.
As part of the sentencing hearings in June, the parents of the eight-year-old gave victim impact statements on the pain of losing her.
As well, McNorgan read a letter of apology in court, saying, "I would like you to know that I never would intentionally hurt anyone."
In delivering her sentence, Hebner said she took into account that McNorgan had no criminal record and was a productive member of the community.
However, the justice said she also was troubled that McNorgan's apology to the court in the spring didn't fully acknowledge her actions.
The Crown had requested four years in jail for McNorgan, while the defence was seeking probation of two years, likely to be served by house arrest, community service hours and a driving prohibition.
Driving bans are not a sentencing option for judges in criminal negligence causing death convictions. However, they can be included as part of probation orders.
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