LONDON, Ont. —; A man charged in a horrific crash that claimed the life of an 18-year-old Western University student has pleaded guilty to over 80 mg blood alcohol causing death.
Twenty-five-year-old Jared DeJong of London, Ont., has been out on bail since a day after the Oct. 7, 2015, collision that claimed the life of 18-year-old Andrea Christidis.
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An agreed statement of facts revealed that DeJong, who was not a Western student, was on campus drinking with friends at the campus pub for three or four hours.
Witnesses said road conditions at the time were “perfect” and that DeJong’s vehicle was seen travelling very fast and at one point cut in front of an public transit bus. Video from the bus also showed him driving on the wrong side of the road.
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The car went through two intersections without stopping, causing other drivers had to take evasive action, before it jumped the curb and struck Christidis, throwing her 10 metres.
Christidis died in hospital two days after she was hit.
“He wishes this never happened,” defence lawyer Jim Dean said after Wednesday’s hearing.
“He’s extremely remorseful, he feels horrible for what’s happened, for what the victim’s family is going through, for what happened to the victim,” Dean said.
Christidis’s mother, Georgia Christidis, said the family is going have to cope with the loss for the rest of their lives.
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“Why did this happen to our beautiful, intelligent, and kind daughter who had so much to live for, so much love to share, and so many dreams and aspirations to fulfil?” she said.
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A sentencing hearing for DeJong, who had more than twice the legal limit of alcohol in his blood when he was arrested, is to begin on April 28.
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