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Driver sentenced to 3 years in prison for death of West Kootenay man

“It is still hard to believe he is gone,” says Michael McIsaac’s mom, Sonia McIsaac.
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On the day he died – July 14, 2016 – Michael was on his way home to make dinner for his fiancée. Photo: Submitted

The man responsible for the 2016 traffic fatality of Warfield born-and-raised Michael Joseph McIsaac, has finally been sentenced.

On Sept. 13, Myles Parsons, a truck driver from the Lower Mainland, was sentenced to three years in federal prison for dangerous driving causing death. He will also have his driving licence suspended for five years.

“It is finally over,” Michael’s mother, Sonia McIsaac, told the Trail Times.

“It took over five years.”

Friday, Sept. 24, Michael would have celebrated his 32nd birthday.

“It is still hard to believe he is gone,” Sonia said.

She thanks Diana Gonzalez from Salmo RCMP Victim Services for all her help.

“I am not sure we could have done it without her,” Sonia said.

Parsons was found guilty of dangerous driving causing death in the Rossland Supreme Court seven months ago, following court date after court date and further delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This criminal conviction came almost five years after Michael was killed on the highway curve near Old Salmo Road in Fruitvale.

Michael, beloved by family and many friends, was living in Fruitvale at the time of his death.

On the day he died – July 14, 2016 – Michael was on his way home to make dinner for his fiancée.

He was a highly valued Teck Trail employee with a bright future. His goals and dreams ended abruptly that afternoon when Parsons lost his load of crushed cars from the flat-deck semi he was driving.

Debris struck Michael’s vehicle, causing it to roll off the road.

Michael succumbed to his injuries at the scene.

Michael McIsaac was killed on July 14, 2016. Commercial driver Myles Parsons has been sentenced to three years in federal prison for dangerous driving causing death. Photo: Submitted
Michael McIsaac was killed on July 14, 2016. Commercial driver Myles Parsons has been sentenced to three years in federal prison for dangerous driving causing death. Photo: Submitted

While the sentence rendered on Sept. 13 by Justice Weatherill in Rossland Supreme Court is not available for public viewing, the Times did contact Sgt. Chad Badry from BC Highway Patrol. Badry’s West Kootenay traffic division was the lead investigator of the case.

“Three years is actually a significant sentence for that circumstance,” Badry said. “That is a message from the courts.”

Badry says the investigation determined that Parsons met the minimum requirements for securing his load, but showed that he did not heed the slow speed sign posted just before the corner.

Through a report that included detailed calculations by a collision analyst and re-constructionist, Badry says the Justice made his finding that Parsons was driving well over the “caution” lower speed sign posted on the corner, causing him to topple his load of crushed metal.

“The tractor trailer flipped over,” Badry clarified. “It was speed. And the responsibility for a scrap car hauler like that, is to be really cautious on corners. The centrifugal forces when you’re going way too fast around a corner like that, are so great. And there is an increased responsibility on commercial vehicle (drivers) because the consequences are so much more significant.”

Read more: Michael McIsaac

Read more: Justice delayed for Warfield family

Read more: Truck driver found guilty in death of Fruitvale man, 27



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Sheri Regnier

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