Kaylan Keagan Lee Keenatch was 15 when she was struck by a vehicle in the summer of 2020. (submitted photo/Aaron Isbister)

By Nigel Maxwell

Court proceedings

Impaired driving crash at Debden results in no additional jail time

Jan 16, 2023 | 4:42 PM

Aaron Isbister says a court decision late last week does not offer his family any sort of justice.

A man who cannot be named because he was 17 at the time of the time he was initially charged, has received 12 months probation and a one-year driving prohibition.

In the early morning hours of July 7, 2020, Isbiter’s 15 -year-old Kaylan Keenatch daughter was walking down a road and was hit near the community’s arena. She was rushed to hospital with severe, life threatening injuries and died the following day while in care.

The man behind the wheel was initially charged with impaired driving causing death and criminal negligence causing death, but on Friday entered a guilty plea to a lesser offence of impaired driving.

Isbister told paNOW he was informed about the plea deal the week prior to sentencing, and said he’s feeling mixed emotions about the end result.

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“I’m sad, upset, mad, a little happy that it’s all behind us now,” he said.

Keenatch has been described previously as a free spirited and very loving girl who loved dancing, and spending time with family and loved ones.

In the months following her death, over $2,500 was raised through an online fundraiser to assist her family with funeral expenses and other costs.

Not guilty pleas were entered in February of last year and a trial date was initially scheduled for July 14 at Prince Albert Provincial Court. However due to delays, including those associated with COVID, the case was ultimately re-scheduled to last week’s hearing at Whitefish.

Isbister explained he was informed by the prosecutor had the case gone to trial, there were some potential evidentiary issues. At the sentencing hearing, the youth offered no apology to the victim’s family and did not even look up when the victim impact statements were read.

Acknowledging it was hard seeing the man in court, Isbister expressed his heart was hurting for himself but for his entire family.

“I told him he had an opportunity to claim responsibility for this a long time ago and instead of doing that he put this entire family through two and a half years of stress,” Isbister said.

Among the man’s conditions is to report to a probation officer, not consume drugs or alcohol or go to place of sale for those (no bars, cannabis shops) and to complete assessments for addictions. He must also complete 30 hours of community service within three months.

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nigel.maxwell@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell