A jury found Gordon Mayward Kerr guilty of criminal negligence causing death Wednesday night for an April 28, 2010 early-morning altercation that led to the death of Samuel Auger.
The verdict left Auger's sister-in-law, Karen Clayton, disappointed that the jury did not find Kerr guilty of the greater charge of manslaughter.
"This isn't going to be enough to show him [Kerr] what he took away from us," said Clayton.
During closing arguments, Crown counsel Marie Louise Ahrens contended Kerr used his pickup truck to hunt down Auger following a confrontation at the Mohawk convenience store and struck him with the vehicle in front of Grama's Inn about 100 metres south on Central Street East.
However, there appeared to be reasonable doubt as to whether Auger was hit or ran in front of Kerr's truck. Auger, who was found to have a blood-alcohol level of .150 and cocaine in his system, died nine days later from massive head injuries.
Clayton maintained Kerr still had intent to harm Auger.
And while Auger may have been drunk at the time Clayton said friends and family knew him as someone who put family first.
"He was a fun-loving guy who didn't deserve this," Clayton said.
Kerr was released on bail and will be back on court on Monday to fix a date for sentencing.
The verdict concluded a seven-day trial and about a day-and-a-half of deliberation.
During the trial, the court heard that a young woman who was with Auger had asked Kerr for a ride while at the Mohawk in an apparent attempt to get away from Auger. Kerr agreed and took her to a safe place, but upon leaving Auger chased the truck and then threw something at it.
Kerr returned to the Mohawk a short time later and chased Auger while brandishing a windshield wiper. When Auger took off, Kerr got into his truck and head south along Central Street East.
Immediately upon the collision with Auger, Kerr put his truck in reverse, according to witness testimony, and appeared at the Prince George RCMP station a short time later.
