
(Credit: London Police Service) The vehicle was going over 120km/h when it collided with a Jeep, a light pole, and finally the group of Girl Guides.
The sentencing hearing begins today for 79-year-old Petronella McNorgan, found guilty of driving her SUV into a group of Girl Guides.
The hearing comes after a lengthy trial back in April, where McNorgan was found guilty of one count of criminal negligence causing death and seven counts of criminal negligence causing bodily harm.
The incident took place back in November of 2021, when the retired school teacher drove over 120 kilometres per hour on the corner of Wonderland and Riverside, colliding with a vehicle, and running into a troop of Girl Guides.
An eight year old was killed and seven others were injured in the process.
During the trial, expert witnesses including an OPP mechanic, London police officers, and an engineer from Honda were called to speak to the integrity of the vehicle and the details of the incident. The crown argued McNorgan could have done more to stop or control the vehicle, while the defence focused on the accidental nature of the collision.
Moving to the two day sentencing hearing, victim impact statements as well as legal arguments are set to be heard, with the driver facing a maximum sentence of 14 years in prison.