Happy Valley-Goose Bay man gets prison time for impaired driving causing death

Colin Jacque,19,will spend a total of 32 months in prison for his involvement in the death of Kiefer Frieda,19, and a separateassault incident.

• 19-year-old facing impaired driving charges in fatal collision

Happy Valley-Goose Bay judgePhyllis Harris gave Jacque 30 months for the impaired driving causing death charge plus another two months to be served consecutively for an incident in April, 2015.

Frieda's family was in the provincial courtroomTuesday wearing t-shirts and other accessories that had been printed with hispicture.

After the sentence washanded down, Frieda's father, William Frieda, punched the the wood half-wall in front of him in frustration.

Victimimpaled

Frieda was killed shortly after 2a.m. on July 19, 2015 when the vehicle Jacque was driving crashed into a chain-link fence and partially wrapped around a utility pole.

The post from thefence went through the windshield and impaledFrieda, who wassitting in the back seat.

Responders attempted to free Frieda using the the jaws of life,but hesuccumbed to his injuries at thescene on Hamilton River Road between Courte Real Road and Markland Road.

Harris said it was estimated Jacque was driving 113 km/h in a 40 km/h zone.

RCMP had been following Jacque when they determined it would be unsafe to continue. The officers radioed ahead to another team telling them not to pursue a chase, but to get a licence plate number.

Thevehiclecrashed shortlyafter.

Judge's reasoning

When rendering her decision, Judge Harris said she had not lost sight of rehabilitation given Jacque's age. She also said Jacque had admitted to drug and alcohol problems, but had stopped drinking since the incident.

While the defence was looking for twoyears less a day for the impaired charge, Harris opted for 30 months.

She determined two months would be appropriate for the April assault where Jacque and two others broke into a home armed with golf clubs in an attempt to steal marijuana.

A co-accused in that incident received a three month sentence, but Harris said thatwhile Jacque was armed and aware of what was about to happen, he didn't instigate the break-in.