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View Full Version : Woman Who Stopped for Ducks Faces Life in Prison



RBP
06-22-2014, 04:31 PM
http://i.imgur.com/fTC3drq.jpg

A Canadian woman parked her car on a Montreal-area highway in 2010 to help a group of ducklings; almost four years to the day later, Emma Czornobaj was on Friday found guilty of causing the deaths of a motorcyclist and his passenger daughter who smashed into her car. The jury was unanimous in convicting the 25-year-old on two counts of criminal negligence causing death, a charge that carries a maximum life sentence, and two counts of dangerous driving causing death, which comes with a maximum of 14 years in jail. The Canadian Press reports Andre Roy, 50, who was traveling with his 16-year-old daughter, Jessie, on his Harley-Davidson, was driving an estimated 70mph to 80mph in a roughly 60mph zone.

His wife was following behind them at a slower speed and avoided injury, and has said she doesn't blame Czornobaj for the deaths; her husband died in her arms, and her daughter, who was pinned beneath the Honda Civic, died later in a hospital. The AP notes Czornobaj wiped away tears when the verdict was delivered to a packed courtroom; she was released until her pre-sentence hearing on Aug. 8. Czornobaj had stopped her car in the left lane of a provincial highway after spotting roughly seven ducklings on the median, reports CTV. The self-professed animal lover told the court that she did not see the ducklings' mother anywhere and was trying to herd them, with the intention of taking them home. The Montreal Gazette notes that the case is an unusual one, in that Czornobaj faces a life sentence though there was no criminal intent tied to her actions.

Godfather
06-22-2014, 05:02 PM
This has gone viral... I kinda got caught up reading some of the comments on a news site. There are a surprising number of misguided bleeding hearts, outraged she was found guilty. 'Ducks are living creatures too,' and 'they would have done the same thing.'

Personally... I think stopping in the left hand lane of a 80km/h highway is pretty fucking negligent. Crime and punishment isn't just about retribution against this women, it's also deterrence. If all these bleeding hearts on the internet really would stop dead in the fast lane in the night, instead of pulling over and calling the proper authorities, hopefully they learn that isn't remotely acceptable.

That said, she won't get life or spend anywhere near that long in prison (no criminal record, no criminal intent, the victim's family isn't lobbying for punishment etc.). Especially in Canada.

Lambchop
06-22-2014, 06:51 PM
fs why weren't the ducklings called in as witnesses?

World's gone mad I tell you ლ(ಠ益ಠლ)

RBP
06-22-2014, 07:17 PM
I have to make a confession. I opened the story because I first read the headline as "the woman who stopped duck faces". I wanted to congratulate her. :oops:

Loser
06-22-2014, 08:00 PM
Just saying, While she does share blame for the accident, the asshat that was driving the other car does too.

How do you NOT see a parked car?

RBP
06-22-2014, 08:10 PM
Just saying, While she does share blame for the accident, the asshat that was driving the other car does too.

How do you NOT see a parked car?

Depending on if it was clearly visible (not just over a ridge, daylight, etc), I agree... and motorcycle for clarification.... 20 MPH over with a 16 year old on the back.