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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 1999-06-02, Page 5THE HURON EXPOSITOR, Jun* 2, 1999-5 Sarah Lebeau wouldn't drive after d bottle and had poured a Friends and family testify second tint couldn't drink it. in fourth week of trial -• By Amy Zoethout Goderich-Signal-Star Staff Friends and family of Sarah LeBeau testified the week of May 19 that she is 'an average driver who rarely drives over the speed limit and would never drive under the influence of alcohol. • LeBeau's trial adjourned May 20 aftcrthree weeks of testimony and will resume June 7. LeBeau faces ll - charges stemming from a Nov. 24, 1996 accident that resulted in the deaths of four arca youths. The 22 -year. -old. • Bruccfield. woman has been charged with four counts of criminal negligence causing death, one count of criminal negligence causing bodily harm. four -counts of --impaired driving' causing death.. one count of impaired driving' causing bodily harm. .and driving over the legal limit: . The accident occurred in the early morning hours on Nov. 24. 1996 when LeBcau's- 1995_ Camaro left County Road 31 -north of . Varna. hit an embankment, became airborne, and rolled over on its roof before - coming to rest on all `four • wheels near the Bayfield River. Killed in the accident 'were Neal Atichson and Pamela King both of Clinton. and Brian Hill and. Mark Webster of - -Stanley Township. The group was leaving a going away party at Hill's residence for Hill. Webster and David Rath_wefl who . ware t6 -leave • for Australia. LcBeau's sister Becky testified last Wednesday that • it st•as (he look of the Camaro that attraeted.LeBcau to it when she bought the ear.. .. w as a nice ear." she said. -,adding that since the two sisters worked together.` Becky often drove :in LcBcau's car. " She's an• average 'driver," said Becky, adding that she Wiiuld -rarely drive- over the - speed limit. "She was a good driver." • Asked by defense attorney Glen'Carey if LeBeau would drive 140-160 km/hr the Camaro was- stated to have been driving at the time of the accident'. Becky said she would not drive like that. Becky described LeBeau as a "social drinker" and could recall only one or two limes when she has been intocaled. •'•11 she:had been drinking she wouldn't drive, said Becky. adding that it was • LeBeau's custom that if she did have too much to drink she would either • stay f. overnight at a friend's house, go home with someone else, or call for a ride home. "i don't recall at anytime -.her..drinking and dri�ing�: said Becky. It was. also LeBeau's custom to lend out het car to friend. and 'family. Becky testified, "it didn't bother her to lend .it out." she said. • The of the Hill party.. Becky said she picked up her boyfriend Brandon Gardner on her way home from church. The couple went hack to her parent's house where they picked up Amy, one of their other sisters, before going to the party around 9:31) p.m. Becky said she knee LeBeau was planning on going to the party hut didn't see her there until Becky and'Amy were about to leave •.around midnight. "She was fine," said Becky, of LeBeau's condition at that time. She added that she didn't see LeBeau drinking that night. "Were you aware that Sarah had a number of • ' speeding problems?." asked Crown attorney Bob Morris "during cross examination, citing a number of speeding tickets LeBeau has received. Becky said she 'wasn't• aware of these tickets, and when asked if this was the Sarah she knew. said she may have been in a hurry at the time of the tickets. "I'm suggesting she's a driver. who drives fast." said Morris. "I wouldn't say she's a fast driver," Becky replied. Amanda Lee travelled to the Hill party on Nov."23, 1996 with LeBeau. The pair have been friends for about 10 years she said and added that over the years she has driven with LeBeau on many , • occasions. Lee described • LcBcau's driving habits as "nothing ',out of the ordinary". and .said. that she would drive nomore than 95 km/hr. - "I trusted my children to .go in the car with her." said Lee. ' - 'Lee also testified that LeBeau often let others drive her car. - "If somebody needed to do something she let them drive her car," she said. Neal Atchison drove a sports car as well, Lee testified. She said that' Atchison liked his car and liked to show off in it. He would speed through town and squeal his tires, she said. Lee described on one occasion when he -played. chicken with her and her friends. "It came pretty close." said Lee. "He -swerved in at a good time because we would. have hit if he didn't." On the night of Nov.. 23, 1996.. LeBeau called up Lee and ,asked her to come to the Hill party with her, since Lee had recently had a baby and hadn't been out for along time. she .said. She met LeBeau at. Shannon McClenaghan's house in Clinton and said that LeBeau seemed sober.--R— "She hadn't been drinking." said Lee. "I would have smelled it.''• • • The pair drank •a small glass of wine that LeBeau had brought with her before leaving for the party. Lee testified that she brought her own alcohol, pina colada mixed with rum and poured into an empty bottle of Bailey's Irish Cream. This bottle was found in LeBeau's trunk at the accident. scene. Lee testified, after looking at a photograph of the bottle in the trunk, that. it was her bottle. Lee said she spent most of the night.with LeBeau and. recalls seeing LeBeau -have only two drinks at the party. "She was fine," said Lee, commenting on her sobriety. _''There were no concerns." While out at LeBeau's car getting ' another drink, McClenaghan told both Lee and LeBeau to come along to someone's car. Lee said they just went along with the group of about seven. "I didn't want to be left out," she said. The group went to the car to smoke a marijuana cigarette, but Lee said both her and LeBeau passed on smoking some of it. ' By 4:30 a.m., Lee said she was offered a ride home by a friend who lived in Blyth, where she was living, and said goodbye to LeBeau. p "I had no concerns about a her sobriety," said Lee of t LeBeau's condition by this d point, adding that she had no a concerns of her driving a vehicle. d Through cross examination p by Crown attorney Bob Morris, Lee testified that she a had only one drink of pina colada out of the Bailey's Morris. produced the Bailey's bottle that -was found in the car and poured Lee a glass and:asked her to identify the drink. -‘That'S Bailey's." she said "i know l poured pina colada into the bottle." Morris- suggested Lee made up the story and attributed the bottle to herself to help her friend. "I was sober," said Lee. "I - know what I did:" - Lee also said that- she wasn't with LeBeau the whole evening and she could have had more drinks that the ones she saw her have. "I wasn't keeping track," she said. LeBeau's mother Susan, took the stand Thursday. She testified herand her husband often had "open discussions' about drinking and driving. She said they tried to teach them to be responsible and to stay overnight, • 'have; a designated driver. or call home for a ride if they have had too much to drink. She added that they left it up to their five daughters. to determine how much was too much. "I have no knowledge of her ever drinking and driving,"- said Susan of her daughter Sarah. "She'd never done that." - Several months after.that accident; Susan said she went to see the car, which was being housed at Denway Auto •near •Bayfield. She said she looked through the car and found coats and two pairs of shoes in the trunk. Susan and her brother put the shoes in a box and brought them home where her. and , her husband -,Jim took photos of them. One pair ''was identified as Neal Atchison's and another was a pair of deck shoes. -The shoes -were later taken by the police for testing. LeBeau's father ' .Jim testified that he had also went to the car at Denway Auto to examine it,. adding that he was "looking for something. that would prove my daughter's innocence." He added that when the police collected his daughter's shoes. they would be collecting -everyone's .shoes from the accident; LeBeau's shoes were the only ones that. were. picked up. "I think they were fingering our daughter." he said. . . Jim also had problems with LeBeau's Camaro.' He said after LeBeau had brake problems in United States in August, 1996, he took the car out for a test drive and said he only had about five per cent,braking power. He said he drove it to the dealer in Goderich with very little braking power. but by the time he got to Goderich "there were brakes." The dealer looked at the car, and, couldn't find anything wrong_with the brakes. Jim said he wasn't aware if the problem with the brakes came up again. Through cross examination, . Morris pointed out that the car drove more than 12,000 kms. from that point.until the accident with no problems with the brakes. ' Carrie Ansley, 22, was an acquaintance of LeBeau's through mutual friend Shannon McClenaghan. On the night of the party. Ansley testified she drove her mom's van to McClenaghan's around 9:30 .m. shortly before LeBeau rrived. She said she couldn't ell if LeBeau had been rinking but she had brought Icohol to McClenaghan's. Ansley said they all had a, rink before leaving for the arty around 10:30 p.m. They went in LeBeau's car nd she added that she thought LeBeau was "fine". "Ldidn't have any concerns with herdriving," she said. When they arrived at the Hill's, Ansley said they all took a drink out of the trunk of LeBeau's car before going. in to the shed where the party was being held. `Throughout the night. Ansley.. said she doesn't recall • seeing - LeBeau - drinking, but added she had little interaction with her at the party. . Under cross' examination. Ansley said she was probably ' drunk.. at the party, but -couldn't say bow much sh'e: had to drink. Asked if she remembers picking up Amanda Lee to - bring her to McClenaghan's, Ansley said she didn't think she picked her upand that she wasn't sure how Lee got ,to McClenaghan's. Ansley said she stayed at a friend's house that night and said she left early the morning of Nov. ;24 to go home. Morris asked her if she picked her mom's van up at McClenaghan's and Ansley said no. "I don't remember. Maybe i didn't drive it," she said. "t don't know. how I got to' Shannon's." - Jeremy Jongejan came tb know LeBeau through his wife Lisa in the - summer .of - 1996.. - That summer. he said. while in Grand Bend, he and Lisa ran into'LeBeau who asked the couple is they . would drive her Camaro - home for. her. Jongejan said they drove 'the car home and he added. that "the vehicle handled .; fine...There was an indicator light on the dash. I'm not sure which one it was." He also testified that -he saw LeBeau at the Hill party and can't remember seeing her drinking. - '1 saw her at a distance and that: was about ate•.". said- Jongejan: "I can't comment. on her sobriety." Jongejan came to the party with Lisa. Lisa Finch and Judy;Elliott. the latter two testified earlier for the Crown. Jongejan said they . _were all drunk and 'he "wouldn't trust them to -drive my law_.nn ower that's forte. sure.' The LeBeau trial adjourned last Thursday until June 7: The defense is cspected to -wrap up its c.ise by the end of that week with closing. statements scheduled for the following week. The trial, which began last September. is being heard by Justice Tom. •Grangerof London. Two children injured after car slides in gravel Two children were treated and released from Clinton Public Hospital after a single• vehicle collision on' May 25 at 11:15 p.m. on Sideroad 10 in Godcrich Township •just off . of Highway 8. A 1988 Buick, driven by a. 39 -year-old McKillop Township- ' man, was travelling eastbound on Sideroad 10 and attempting to navigate a curve in the road when it slid on gravel, entered the south ditch and struck a tree. A 10 -year-old and five- year-old received minor injuries and the vehicle received severe damages: No charges will be laid: - Child's wagon, toy stolen A child's wagon and a cultivator toy, valued at, $440, were reported stolen from Sills Hardware in Seaforth on May 14 at I 1;30 a.m. • The toys had been put on display outside the store on the sidewalk. Anyone- with related information is askedrto call Crimestoppers or the' Huron OPP. , ANNOUNCEMENT Patients of Seaforth-Medical Clinic 28 Centennial Drive Seaforth, ON NOK 1WO To expand our service in the Geriatric Area Dr. Mark Woldtii:k will be absent from his practice here June 1, 1999 December 31, 1999 He will continue seeing his patients at Huronview Huronlea . Seaforth Manor Maplewood Manor During his absence - Dr. John Yee Dr. Mike Rondilla Dr. Rob Ghali - will -be seeing his patients in our office. - OFFICE HOURS - Phone: 519-527-1770 for appointment r Mon 9 - 5', Tues. 9 --5, Wed. 9 -12, Thurs. 9 - 5, Fri. 9 - 5 • Footweor for all your sporting needs. : 1/lr- 5111471.7710 22 Wellington Si Stratford , +. TAP -Usborne & Hibbert Mutual Fire- Insurance Company Exeter, Ontario NOM 1S1 ' (Established in 1876) Provides Full Insurance Coverage for Farm Properties New Applications Are Welcomed DIRECTORS & ADJUSTORS Joe Nile. R R 5 tithe! 3469705 lion Feeney. R R. 2 Ottii 3452360 tarry Gadnei. 0.R. 2 S b 3452679 JetkfbtyatA.R. ICetbn 2296'52 *hie ("Shoe ItR 3 Gram 2252109 Mort Wious, RR 2 StPee 39365+9 . AGENTS We+M Yaw. Exile 235-115 Dad Moore. Daikl 345-2512 Bib Wader. Dubin 3452777 Joeepn unec. bine[ 3469312 ►ad Otte, Exeter 23603.50 A refund from surplus was declared for all policy hold- ers who qualify, ere on record end in good standing as at December 31, 1998. 74144 *ea The Seaforth Farmerette's Broomball team' would Tike to. thank the following...who without them, the team never would have experienced the great successes that they did this past season,.. along with winning numerous toumaments throughout the year, the team also finished first in league play, won the Seaforth play-offs, won the gold medal at the regional championships and were FINALISTS, WINNING THE SILVER MEDAL -AT THE CANADIAN NATIONAL BROOMBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS IN NEW BRUNSWICK. (Their biggest accomplishment yet!') WAY TO GO- GIRLS.:.WELL DONE FARMERETTES!!!! Thanks so much to our pick-up players - Cheryl Kruse, Heidi Elliott, Chris Patchell, and Vickie King. A special note of thanks to our massage therapist "Denise. Boudreau" With much appreciation to all of our sponsors Progressive Turf Equipment, C.L. Marshall Farms, Arthur Chrysler, People's Choice Shoes (Hanover), Tony Arts Financial, Archie's Service Centre, Peter Mathonia Feed .Co., Manulife (Rudy Jansen), Avonbank Farm Equipment, Dr. Douglas Palmer, Dr.. Fowler (Chesley), Knights Of Columbus (Walkerton), Watson Trucking, Seaforth Chiropractic Centre, Rob Cornelis (D.J. Service), Pizza Train, Seaforth Automotive Industrial Supply, MDL Doors. .TMP,_CW .Referees,. Stewart Lumbar, Fleming Feed Mill, Cuddy Foods, McGavin Farm' Equipment, The -Me -stage -Exchange; Jack and Jill Daycare (Guelph), Waterloo Manufacturing (J. Wright); Eric Huber & Co. (Guelph), Box Furniture, Cardno's Men's Wear, Huron Tractor, MacLeans Sports of. Exeter, The Huron Expositor, Seaforth Jewellers;- Paul ("Wally")Pearce, Craig Kerslake (Kerway Farms),;Hildebrand Paint and Paper, Hildebrand Flowers. - A very special thank -you to our coaching staff , Jerry Wright, Frank Verbeme, Georgina Reynolds, and Brad Finlayson....and a "behind the scenes* thank -you to Lynn Devereaux: ' "WE COULDN'T HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT YOU, -THANK -YOU SO VERY MUCH" The Farmerettes. You are invited to attend these area churches St. Thomas Anglican Church Jarvis St. Seaforth Rev. Robert Hiscox 482-7861 Sunday, June 6" Anniversary Sunday Service of Holy Communion at 930 a.m. First Presbyterian Church Godertch St W Seaforth WORSHIP SUNDAY 11 15 AM Sunday School during Worship June 5th Yard & Bake Sale 527-0170 Bethel Bible Church An Associated Gospel Church Now Meeting at 120 Main St. Seaforth (formerly Canadian Tire) 9.45 a m. Bible School 1100 Worship 'COVENANT OF COMPANIONSHIP' Small Group Meetings Weekly Pastor Doug Corriveau 522-0070 • CAVAN (WrKhrop193` a m. e NORTHSIDE • . (GodariM St. $Vlore+) 11 CO a m. UNITED CHURCHES WON- Rev Jan. KuaptW S?7-2535 uaca,nsercc.an.ce 1Sis awaate Janes vat SurMay •Mn us' Juni& Chow peewee 'WHY 7' at nOMs,Oe lunch lateen* Noce salts Somas 700 0. m. 'M Evwnq we+ tra Kuaohra' a+ Cavan Egmondville United Church Rev. Judith Springett Worship 11 a.m. Sunday School Grades 2 to 8 10 a.m., Nursery to Grade 1 - 11 a.m. Catholic Church Masses Victoria St., Seaforth Saturday - 5:15 pm St. James Parish, Seaforth Saturday - 7:15 pm St. Joseph's Parish. Clinton Sunday - 9:00 am St. Michael's Parish, Blyth Sunday - 11:00 am SI. James Parish, Seaforth Father Dino Salvador