Families read victim impact statements after West Vancouver wedding crash driver pleads guilty

It’s been more than two years since two women attending a West Vancouver wedding were killed when a neighbour drove her Range Rover into an ornamental gate, sending rocks and debris flying into a crowd of guests.

On Monday, that neighbour Hong Xu, who avoided criminal charges in the case, pleaded guilty to one count of driving without due care and attention, after an investigation determined she mistakenly hit the gas instead of the brake.

Family members of the two victims, 67-year-old Annie Kong and 62-year-old Lieu Nguyen, read victim impact statements at North Vancouver Court.

In his statement, Annie Kong’s son Nigel told the driver he wants her to experience the same grief and misery he is. Outside court, he said he hoped the message landed.

“I tried to make it as abundantly clear as possible there is just so much suffering that we have had, so much chaos and destruction as a result of this. The weight and the burden we carry as families is immense. I hope she hears that,” said Kong.

His sister Joanna Moy also addressed Xu, who wept openly throughout the hearing and apologized to the families of the victims.

“I want you to know that you took away the one person whose love made us feel whole, safe, and happy. You can feel sorry for what you did, but don’t you dare feel sorry for yourself. You still get to breathe the fresh air outside, have time with your family, and enjoy delicious meals. All while my mother sits in an urn on a shelf,” said Moy in her prepared statement.

Nancy Nguyen, the bride whose wedding was marred by tragedy, and whose aunt was the second victim, also spoke, telling the court, “Our wedding anniversary is now a death anniversary.”

Through tears, she continued: “Our cherished family and friends who travelled to celebrate what was supposed to be one of the happiest days of our lives left with trauma, injury or death. And I can’t help but feel immense guilt and responsibility for everyone who was present that day.”

Outside court, Joanna Moy said the two families are now connected in grief.

“We are bound by this unmeasurable loss, and to us, they’re almost like family now, because it’s a shared experience. It’s a club I wish nobody should be part of, but now that we are, we feel definitely closer to them. They equally lost someone that they love,” said Moy.

In a joint submission, Crown and defence said that the two deaths and multiple injuries suffered at the wedding could not factor into the sentence for the motor vehicle offence Xu was charged with.

“I think anyone with eyes and ears knows how ridiculous that is,” said Moy. “To have them say that it’s not based on the outcome, it doesn’t matter how many people she killed, it’s just that momentary moment that they are charging her with. Then my question is: at what point does that change, how many people have to die that that charge gets changed?”

The Kong family knew their victim impact statements wouldn’t move the court. Crown and defence are both recommending Xu receive a $2,000 fine and five-year driving prohibition, and the judge will almost certainly impose that sentence when court reconvenes on Tuesday.

“We know that we won’t be getting any justice,” said Annie’s husband Liong Kong, whose victim impact statement described how he held in his wife in his arms as she died at the wedding. “But we have to turn up, because my wife could not turn up herself. So we are here, because she could not make it.”