A BC Supreme court justice has sentenced a Port Alberni man to two years in prison for a 2008 boating accident that killed a woman near Bamfield.
Supreme Court Justice Frits Verhoeven handed down the sentence to Joshua William Escott, 42, in the supreme court room at the Port Alberni court house on March 1.
Escott was convicted of dangerous operation of a vessel last year.
According to court documents, Escott and Kristianna Rode, 31, were piloting their boat into Useless Inlet near Bamfield when they collided with a boat driven by a couple attempting to leave the inlet.
The collision sent Rode flying into the waters of Barkley Sound. All efforts to revive her failed and Rode likely died from fatal trauma to her body in the collision, documents noted.
Escott’s boat displayed no navigation or running lights while the other boat did, documents noted.
Escott and Rode were planning to stay the cabin of the other couple, whom Escott had known for some time, documents noted.
The couples consumed alcohol that night. But the alcohol “...is not a relevant factor in assessing Mr. Escott’s manner of operation of the vessel,” Verhoeven said.
Escott, now 42, said he feels deep remorse every day for the death of a woman he cared about.
Verhoeven said Escott’s actions were inexplicable, dangerous and reckless.
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With files form David Wiwchar