A man serving a federal sentence for being behind the wheel during a a high-speed rollover that led to the death of a friend and serious injuries to another has been granted day parole.
Sentenced in July 2018, Dustin Allen Tisdale, 25, had been serving his time in a minimum security facility. He was granted day parole on March 6 and will be eligible for full parole on June 30, according to a Parole Board of Canada decision.
He has been accepted at a halfway house in his "preferred geographical location" which was not provided in the decision.
Conditions include no consumption of alcohol and following a treatment plan for alcohol abuse.
Devin Hawley-Barks, 21, was killed and Sara Willsie suffered long-lasting injuries in the March 12, 2016 crash on Highway 97 near Austin Road.
It was preceded by a high-speed chase of an adversary, and according to the decision, Tisdale had been swerving and tried to run him off the road.
"You passed him at a high rate of speed and hit the median, crashing your vehicle," a review panel said in the decision. "Some estimates indicated that you were travelling in excess of 170 kilometres per hour."
Tisdale was "highly intoxicated" at the time and had admitted to a history of driving at high speeds while under the influence of alcohol. His truck was modified to point where it was capable of travelling as much as 250 km/h.
Tisdale's case management team has had a concern that his did not believe there was a link between his actions and alcohol. But during a hearing, the board was told he no longer denies being an alcoholic.
Prior to the crash, Tisdale said he would drink and drive about once a month, going out to bars or bush parties. On the night of the offence, he was "desperate to get out of the house" after being at home with his wife and newborn for a few weeks.
The panel found Tisdale was "appropriately emotional" in his closing statement and noted he said he can only imagine the pain he has caused.
"You said you have moved outside the city limits and want a family life now," the panel said. "You said you had committed to your wife that you will not drink again."
