Hill Sentencing Hearing Continues

Thursday, January 19, 2006 12:45 PM

"My world came crashing down in four words, your parents are gone." That sentence from Melissa St. Peter, who described her life following the death of her parents in July of 2004. Mellissa was 15 at the time, her mother, Kimberly (aged 35) and her father Kevin (aged 37) were killed when the car they were in was pushed into oncoming traffic. Melissa was reading a victim impact statement to the Court as part of the sentencing hearing for Ronald Keith Hill.

66 year old Hill (of Langley) entered a guilty plea on two counts of dangerous driving causing death and one count of dangerous driving causing bodily harm. Crown has painted a picture of a man who had had a couple of drinks, was fatigued, and moments before the fatal accident, was speeding.

The St. Peter car was slowing on highway 16 west, waiting to make a left hand turn on to Jensen Road. Hill says he dozed off and woke just in time to swerve to the right. His vehicle caught the right rear of St. Peter's car, spinning it 180 degrees into the east bound lane where it was hit by a vehicle driven by Joanne Lindstrom. Kevin and Kimberly St Peter were killed in the crash, while Joanne Lindstrom was left with disabling injuries. Crown has called for a sentence of 2 years in jail for each of the two counts of dangerous driving causing death and one year for the dangerous driving causing bodily harm all to be served concurrently, and a 5 year prohibition from driving..

Defense has presented a picture of a mild mannered man, who has been a mentor to many, no previous run-ins with the law, an excellent driving record ( no previous accidents) a good family man who made one tragic mistake. "There but by the grace of God go any one of us in this courtroom today"said Lawyer David Jenkins Hill tried to express his remorse to the Court and to the families "I don't know if I have the words to expres the regret and to apologize to the familes. I just feel real regret and sadness...." said an emotional Hill who could not complete reading his statement.. Defense is calling on the court for a conditional sentence of 18 months and a 3 year prohibition on driving.

Expressing a need for some time to go over all the information, Judge Daniel Weatherly has advised he will hand down sentence at 4:00 this afternoon.
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