HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 1999-06-16, Page 8$ -TNI HURON EXPOSITOR, June 16, 1999
News
4
Markings on boot suggest another
was driving LeBeau's Camaro
Sy Amy Zoothout
Goderich Signal -Star Staff
Markings found on Neal
Atchison's right boot are
consistent with the gas and
brake pedals of Sarah
LeBeau's 1995 Camaro a
forensic analyst testified.
A forensic analyst testified
in Goderich last week that
three scuff marks found on
the toe of Atchison's hoot
match the location of the
Camaro's steel brake and gas
pedal shafts and the right
edge of the brake pedal.
The trial resumed in
Goderich on June 7
following' a two week
adjournment. The trial began
last September.
LeBeau faces 11 charges
resulting from an accident in
the early morning hours on
Nov. 24, 1996 that left four
area youths dead. Charges
include four counts of
criminal negligence causing
death, and four counts of
impaired driving causing
death. Killed in the crash
were Neal Atchison and
Pamela . King, both of
Clinton, and Brian Hill and
Mark Webster, both of
Stanley Township. Both
LeBeau, of Brucefield, and
Brandon Gardner, of.
Vanastra, were seriously
injured in the accident.
The group was at a going
away party on Nov. 23, 1996
near Varna on the farm of
Bev and Shirley Hill for
Brian Hill, Mark Webster,
and David Rathwell.
Don Hunka, forensic
analyst, testified that these
marks have "several striking
similarities" to a "rubbing"
he did of the pedals in the
LeBeau vehicle. Hunka
showed the rubbings on a
transparency and matched
them up with the, boot's
marks using an overhead
projector.
"I don't think any logical
conclusion can be reached
other than ttiis right shoe
came into considerable
contact with the gas .and
brake pedal," said Hunka.
Hunka testified that he
examined LeBeau's Camaro
for places that could have
made such marks and -the
pedals were the only ones to
match.
Through cross
examination, Hunka said that
he has never testified in a
case like this before and said
"This is a weird one." •
Crown attorney Bob
Morris asked Hunka if after
doing only one rubbing of
the pedals, was he satisfied
with the results and was he
not concerned with a margin
of error.
"I saw the first one and
was happy with it," said.
Hunka.
Morris noted that there
were several markings on the
hoots which he noted were
quite worn.:
"Can you tell me when any
of those marks were put on
the boot?," asked Morris.
Hunks said it could have
been anything and admitted
that there are a .tot of
unknowns. -
Shannon McClenaghan hag
been friends with LeBeau
since elementary school. The
pair were close friends the
time of -the Hill party but
McClcnaghan said they have
-since lost touch.
The night of Nov. 23,
1996,; MrClenaghan testified •
she had a few friends drop by
her house before they left for'
the party. McClenaghan said
she had a drink before
leaving but couldn't say
whether or not LeBeau had a
drink. A group of four drove
together to the party in
LeBeau's car. LeBeau was
• driving.
"I had no concerns about
her driving,", said
McClenaghan.. -"1 don't
remember anything bring out
of the ordinary."
Throughout the night,
McClenagh•an said she saw
LeBcau.pff-and on and still
couldn't say if she was
drinking.
McClenaghan testified that
she. was one of a group of
people who smoked a
marijuana joint at the party.
but was unsure .if LeBeau
was also in the car that it was
being smoked in.
When the group left the
party around 6- a.m.,
McClenaghan said she didn't
notice if LeBeau • was
intoxicated and said that she
herself was sober.
Since the LeBeau car was
full, McClenaghan Icft the
party in Rob Consitt's car.
The LeBeau vehicle was to
meet thorn at Greg Taylor's
home on- County Road 31.
The Consitt car left before
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the . LeBeau car and
McClenaghan said she didn't
know who was driving.
Consist and McClenaghan
waited. liir .the LeBeau ;
vehicle at Taylor's and when
it didn'tarrive, they went
hack'to see what was keeping.
• them. -
At the bridge on County
Road 31. .McClenaghan
testified that she noticed a
piece of LeBeau's car and a .
post•liotn.the side of the road
lying on:.the road: She said it
took sometime io find the car
but when they got. there she
saidshe found three people -
lying outside the vehicle and
two people inside.
She said she. found both
LeBeau and Gardner laying
completely outside the car
with their feet towards the
driver's side. Earlier
testimony revealed the
contrary. •Ambulance
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