‘I ain’t stopping for no red light,’ said B.C. hit-and-run driver before deadly crash

A B.C. courtroom viewed shocking video Friday successful a sentencing proceeding for the antheral down the instrumentality successful a deadly 2022 hit-and-run successful Vancouver.

Alexandre Romero-Arata has pleaded blameworthy to transgression negligence causing decease successful the June 19, 2022, collision successful Kitsilano that near 24-year-old Irish nationalist Eoghan Byrne dead.

The tribunal heard helium had been drinking, ran aggregate reddish lights, and deed speeds of up to 152 kilometres per hour.

Crown authoritative Mark Myhre told the tribunal that a person of Romero-Arata’s had primitively been driving the conveyance aft she concluded helium was excessively intoxicated to drive, but that astatine immoderate constituent he’d told her to propulsion implicit and got down the instrumentality himself.

Video clips recorded by the person amusement him moving respective reddish lights, and astatine 1 constituent amusement the speedometer astatine 140 km/h. The video besides captured Romero-Arata smiling and saying “I ain’t stopping for nary reddish light.”

The tribunal heard that Byrne’s person Mike McGovern, who was visiting from Ireland astatine the time, had been walking location from the pub with the unfortunate erstwhile the clang happened.

McGovern tried to drawback Byrne and propulsion him retired of the mode of the speeding conveyance arsenic they crossed West 4th Avenue astatine Arbutus Street.

“Eoghan wholly disappeared earlier my eyes,” helium stated successful a unfortunate interaction connection work by the Crown.

“I cried and screamed astatine the daze and fearfulness of seeing my friend’s assemblage destroyed.”

The tribunal heard that Romero-Arata’s person told him to “watch out,” but that he’d sped up instead. She closed her eyes and heard a bang, arsenic Byrne was struck and killed instantly.

The tribunal heard that Romero-Arata fled the scene, and phoned 911 the pursuing time to falsely study his car had been stolen the erstwhile evening.

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McGovern’s mother, who attended the proceeding via video link, described however her son’s beingness had been “permanently altered,” and that helium had suffered intelligence wellness issues terrible capable to effect successful hospitalization.

Byrne’s family, who travelled to Canada from Ireland for the hearing, described however they had been shattered by his death.

His parent Mary told the tribunal she had been readying to question to Vancouver to sojourn him for his 25th birthday, and alternatively had to travel to the metropolis to cod his body.

“Every time I aftermath up to the nightmare that Eoghan is nary longer with us,” she said.

“He’d virtually been ripped retired of our lives by the interaction of that car.”

His begetter Eugene addressed Romero-Arata directly, saying helium appeared to person a “complete and full deficiency of remorse.”

Throughout the unfortunate interaction statements, Romero-Arata avoided looking astatine the speakers.

Prosecutors highlighted Romero-Arata’s record, which includes 15 Motor Vehicle Act incidents successful an 18-month period

The Crown is seeking 5 years successful situation and a 15-year driving ban.

Romero-Arata’s defence has yet to marque its submissions.