Driver who struck Girl Guides addresses families: ‘Truly sorry’

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It was Petronella McNorgan’s turn to say something.

She walked to the witness box in the London courtroom, papers in hand to finally address the families of a traumatized Girl Guide unit run down by McNorgan’s SUV more than two years ago.

“I appreciate this opportunity to offer a sincere apology and express to you my deepest sorrow for what happened on Nov. 30, 2021. Unfortunately, that was a horrendously life-changing day for each of you, your families and friends,” the 79-year-old retired religion teacher said.

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“I can only imagine the suffering this accident has caused you and I’m sorry and devastated for the pain and anguish that resulted from this tragedy. I’d like you know that I would never intentionally hurt anyone and did my very best not to that night.”

Her voice was breaking with emotion. “My whole life I cared for children and the fact that children were hurt and (a girl) died are painful realities that will stay with me forever,” she said.

“This has caused you so much suffering and pain which I will carry with me for the rest of my life. I’m truly sorry for what you have endured and for what you will continue to endure.”

McNorgan’s comments were made Friday at the end of her two-day sentencing hearing. She was convicted by a jury in April of one count of criminal negligence causing death and seven counts of criminal negligence causing bodily harm for the crash that killed an eight-year-old girl and injured seven others who were walking along the sidewalk on Riverside Drive as part of an Embers (formerly Brownies) activity.

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In the public gallery sat two rows of families and Girl Guide leaders, including the parents of the child who was killed, many of whom delivered emotional, gripping victim impact statements on Thursday.

The Crown is seeking a four-year prison term for the grandmother who sped through the intersection of Riverside Drive and Wonderland Road, hitting a car, a tree and a lamp post before striking the line of Embers walking along on the sidewalk on their way to make snow owls at a nearby park.

At the Superior Court jury trial earlier this year, McNorgan insisted she did nothing wrong and that there must have been a mechanical malfunction that caused the SUV to speed up.

The jury heard that there was nothing mechanically wrong with the SUV from five expert mechanics. The Crown argued McNorgan mixed up the gas and brake pedals and then didn’t take any evasive action to stop the speeding vehicle.

The first part of Friday’s hearing was spent with defence lawyer Phillip Millar reading in the rest of the 57 letters of reference he started Thursday, many from longtime friends and former teaching colleagues, all of whom described McNorgan as honest, hard-working, generous and caring.

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Millar asked Superior Court Justice Pamela Hebner to consider a sentence of three years of probation, along with substantial community service hours, which would keep the elderly McNorgan, who is a breast cancer survivor and is a diabetic, out of custody.

“Nothing like this would every happen again and Ms. McNorgan poses no threat to security in her community,” Millar said.

“Only if she gets behind the wheel again,” Hebner interjected. “You suggested she is not a danger to the community. I suspect the community might think otherwise if she is driving a motor vehicle.”

More later at lfpress.com

jsims@postmedia.com

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