It was an opportunity to send a strong message to dangerous drivers, but it is now an opportunity squandered.
Last week, Daniel Tschetter was denied parole, but was granted unsupervised 24-hour day passes from Bowden where he is serving a five-year sentence for manslaughter.
In December 2007, Tschetter was at the wheel of a cement truck northbound on Macleod Trail in Calgary. He was driving erratically when he plowed into Chris Gautreau’s car at a red light at a speed of 120 kilometres per hour, dragging it for more than 200 metres.
Everyone inside the car was killed. Tschetter killed Chris Gautreau and his children Alexia, 9, and Kiarra, 6, and Melaina Hovdebo and her 16-month old son Zachary Morrison.
Tschetter, who had a poor driving record with more than 20 convictions in 20 years, was charged with five counts of manslaughter which is rare in cases involving traffic accidents. At the time the Crown prosecutor wanted to send a strong message this kind of blatant disregard for safety on Alberta’s roads would not be tolerated.
Tschetter was convicted on all counts and sentenced to eight years in jail. Although his sentence was reduced to five-and-a-half years for time served the verdict was hailed as a victory and a warning to drivers.
It appeared the Province would regard fatal accidents where a driver was clearly distracted or driving dangerously much more seriously and substantial jail time would be a distinct possibility.
However, after having served less than half of his sentence, the National Parole Board has granted Tschetter day passes.
The decision to allow Tschetter a reprieve dilutes the “strong message” Alberta Justice originally intended.
Tschetter did not use a gun, but he was speeding, swerving in and out of traffic and essentially used a cement truck as a weapon when he mowed down a local family on their way to Calgary to do some Christmas shopping.
At his parole hearing Tschetter apologized to the victims’ families, and then was given day passes to visit his own family.
Unfortunately, the Hovdebo, Gautreau and Morrison families will never be able to see their loved ones again.
Tschetter’s actions were unconscionable. He destroyed three families and it was devastating for the entire Foothills community.
Tschetter deserves is to serve his entire sentence to reiterate the prosecution’s original stance of being tough on dangerous drivers.
