Driver sentenced to 3 years for crash that killed UBC students

RICHMOND, B.C. -

A British Columbia judge has ruled that a 23-year-old man who hit and killed two University of British Columbia students while he was speeding through the campus in 2021 should serve three years in jail and be prohibited from driving for five years.

Provincial court Judge Glenn Lee told the court in Richmond, B.C., that Tim Goerner will still be young when his sentence is done and he can then spread a message to people about the dangers of drinking and driving.

“This can be your role in giving back to society,” Lee told Goerner on Tuesday. “I really encourage you to do that.”

The court heard he had been drinking at a party before the high-speed crash that killed Emily Selwood and Evan Smith as they walked down a sidewalk on the university campus in the early morning hours of Sept. 26, 2021.

The sentence is in line with a joint submission by the Crown and his defence lawyer, who outlined why Goerner should serve the term for two counts of dangerous driving causing death, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison.

Lee wished Goerner “good luck” before he was led away in handcuffs by sheriffs.

His mother broke down in tears as Goerner was taken from the courtroom.

Goerner pleaded guilty last month to the charges. He had originally faced two counts of impaired driving causing death.

On Monday, the court heard that Goerner was going between 100 and 120 kilometres an hour in a 40 km/h zone before he ran down Smith and Selwood, who were both 18 years old.

Goerner sobbed during emotional victim impact statements from the parents of the victims at Monday's sentencing hearing, then told the court that he will reflect on his wrongdoing for the rest of his life.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 7, 2023.