Calgary mother died when drunk driver wrapped car around tree at 138 km/h, court hears

Driving 138 km/h in a 50 zone, Dale Cameron Neisz'sblood-alcohol level was nearly twice the legal limit when he lost control, wrapping his car around a tree and killing his passenger, court heard Monday.

Kanaye Renfrew, 30, died in the July 2016 crash, leaving behind her husband and two young children.

On Monday,Justice Jolaine Antonio acceptedNeisz's guilty plea to charges of drunk driving causing death and drunk driving causing bodily harm. A sentencing hearing will take place in several months.

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Neisz, his co-worker and one of her friends attended a Calgary Stampeders game on the night of July 1, 2016, according tothe agreed statement of facts read aloud in court Monday afternoon.

Afterward,the groupcontinued drinking at two Kensington-area bars until about 2:30 a.m. before heading to Chinatown for food.

Neisz was driving his Ford Fusion, Renfrew was the front passenger and her friend was in the back as they droveeast on Memorial Drive N.W.

The car, travelling at nearly 140 km/h, hit a curve at 5A StreetN.W.The Ford failed to negotiate the turn, hit the wall of a flowerbed in the centre median, rolled onto the right passenger door and slid off the road, onto its roof, hitting two trees before wrapping around the trunk of a third.

The Ford had just passed a taxi when they slammed into the tree. Video from that cab showed the high-speed crash.

The victim's family left the courtroom while the video was played.

Renfrew died at the scene of "extensive traumatic injuries."

The other passenger suffered "severe, life-threatening, traumatic injuries that have required extensive rehabilitation and relearning due to brain trauma," reads the document.

Neisz was also badly injured.

A pre-sentence report has been ordered and a date for sentencing will be set on Friday.