The driver behind the wheel of the car that crashed in the store front of the south end London Costco has been found guilty.
Sixty-six-year-old Ruth Burger is guilty with lesser charges of two counts of dangerous driving causing death and two counts of dangerous driving causing bodily harm.
Burger was originally facing two counts of criminal negligence causing death and two counts of criminal negligence causing bodily harm.
Danah McKinnon-Bozek, who was eight months pregnant, and her daughters were hit in the entrance of the store. Six-year-old Addison Hall was killed and three-year-old Miah Bozek was critically injured in the crash. Danah went under an emergency C-section. Their newborn, Rhiannon, died in hospital a week later.
Justice Jonathan George read out the hour long verdict.
He started off telling the court he couldn’t imagine what the McKinnon-Bozek family has been going through since the accident happened. He also said he couldn’t imagine what Burger has been going through too.
Flashback to the trials:
He also warned the courtroom before he began reading that some could be disappointed with the outcome.
The Justice rejected Burger’s testimony. Burger told the court on Day Two of the trial that her foot got caught underneath the brake.
“It is incapable of belief. Her foot could not have gotten caught,” he told the courtroom.
“I must conclude that Mrs. Burger’s driving was dangerous,” Justice George told the courtroom moments before he announced that Burger was guilty.”
Tears filled the eyes of some people Justice George read further and further into the verdict. When Burger was found guilty, she put her face down in her hands as tears came down her face. The friends and family of the McKinnon-Bozek’s wiped tears as Justice George read someone of the details they learned throughout the trial.
Burger’s lawyer, Ron Ellis, spoke outside the courthouse afterwards. He says he’s disappointed with the outcome. He also said he didn’t have too much to say as the matter is still before the courts.
Addison Hall’s father, Eric, spoke after the verdict. He wants his daughter to be known as an angel with bright blue eyes and urged everyone to become organ donors.
He also told media that he has no bad feelings towards Burger.
“I can’t even imagine what she’s going through. I wish her the best and I hope she can find what I can to move on. I never really had anything against her. It’s something that’s defiantly so tragic, so random too. I mean, it’s not something that will happen everyday.”
Burger will be back in court on Tuesday to confirm her sentencing date. It’s expected to be this fall on October 20th.
