A sentencing hearing for a Dresden woman guilty of impaired driving causing death in a crash that killed her friend was delayed after an unexpected turn of events over the weekend.
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The sentencing hearing was scheduled to begin in Chatham Superior Court Monday for Arielle Wall, 22, who was convicted on Sept. 14 of impaired driving causing death and having blood-alcohol level over the legal limit.
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Wall was driving a vehicle that hit a tree on Longwoods Road, just west of Louisville, around midnight on April 12, 2021.
Her friend Gabrielle Emery, 19, died as a result of the crash.
Before the hearing, Crown Attorney Robert MacDonald requested an adjournment because Nick Bazylko, the assistant Crown originally assigned to the case, is unable to continue it to the conclusion due to circumstances that arose over the weekend.
In requesting the adjournment to give a new Crown time to prepare to continue the case, MacDonald said he was trying to be “respectful to court,” but he couldn’t elaborate further on the situation.
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Justice Russell Raikes said the situation is problematic for his schedule because he is beginning a homicide trial.
Wall’s lawyer Ken Marley told the court “all of this is perplexing,” but added he respects the Crown’s position.
The defense agreed to the adjournment because it would not be fair for the Crown to have to proceed under these circumstances.
Raikes reminded the Crown that a guilty verdict was handed down in September and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms allows for an accused to be tried within a reasonable time.
The judge noted that the defense agreed to the adjournment but did not waive Wall’s rights under the Charter.
The matter was adjourned to Jan. 2 via video to set a date for sentencing.
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