The Quebec woman who was found guilty last year of causing a deadly accident while stopping to help ducks on a highway is not going to prison pending an appeal, a Quebec court ruled Friday.
The Court of Appeal suspended Emma Czornobaj’s sentence, which included 90 days in prison and a ban on driving for 10 years.
The 26-year-old was found guilty last June of causing a crash in 2010 that cost the lives of Andre Roy and his daughter Jessie. Czornobaj was driving on a highway near Montreal, but stopped her car in the passing lane in order to help a group of ducks.
Vehicles swerved to avoid her parked car, but Roy, who was travelling on a motorcycle with his daughter, was unable to stop fast enough. He and Jessie were killed when the motorcycle collided with Czornobaj’s car.
In December, Czornobaj was sentenced to 90 days in jail and 240 hours of community service. She was also banned from driving a car for 10 years.
Czornobaj’s lawyer said she would appeal the sentence as well as her conviction on two counts of criminal negligence causing death and two counts of dangerous driving causing death.
On Friday, the Quebec Court of Appeal agreed to put her sentence on hold until the appeal case is heard.
As a result, Czornobaj does not have to report to jail Saturday morning, as originally decided by the court. She can also retain her driver’s licence.
With a report by CTV Montreal’s Stephane Giroux
