Slocan woman jailed in father’s death
A Slocan woman has been sentenced to two years in jail for a crash that killed her father.
A jury convicted Danyle Shereen Matheson, 37, of six charges in November, including impaired driving causing death.
The single-vehicle accident occurred April 25, 2009 on Highway 6, one kilometer south of Winlaw.
The victim, Harley Matheson, 59, also of Slocan, was a passenger in the northbound vehicle his daughter was driving when it rolled over.
Two other occupants were taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, while a fourth occupant declined treatment at the scene, but went to hospital the next day.
At the time police said speed and alcohol were factors.
Danyle Matheson was charged with impaired driving causing death and bodily harm, dangerous driving causing death and bodily harm, and causing an accident resulting in death and bodily harm.
Her trial began on October 27. The jury began deliberating on November 4 at 2:30 p.m. and continued until 10 p.m. that night. They resumed the following morning at 9 and returned their guilty verdicts shortly before noon.
Last week, Judge Mark McEwan sentenced Matheson to four concurrent jail terms: two years each for impaired driving causing death and dangerous driving causing death, and 18 months each for impaired driving causing bodily harm and dangerous driving causing bodily harm. She was further banned from driving for a year.
A conditional judicial stay was entered on the two remaining counts.
Matheson has 30 days to appeal the sentence.
The other two men who were in the vehicle are suing her and her father’s estate over injuries they suffered in the crash.
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