'The suffering is hell': Widows describe impact of fatal Butter Pot Park crash

Kyle Folletthas been found guilty of driving without due care and attention, an offence underthe Highway Traffic Act, in connection to a fatal crash near Butter PotPark in April2016, and fined $180.

The wives of the two men killed and a woman whose husband suffered a brain injury in the accident told court Monday that their lives will never be the same.

Follettwas driving a five-tonne truck that struck the back of a ToyotaRAV4, killing two passengers, and injuring the driver of the SUV.

Randy Ralph, 52, died at the scene. Shannon Pittman, 40, died in hospital the next day, and driver Dwaine Dalton survived but suffered serious brain injuries.

After Follett was found guilty, the court heard five victim impact statements. Often fighting off tears, Sarah Pittman told the court that she screamed when she got the phone call saying her husband had been in an accident.

"Is he really dead or is this a dream or movie?" she asked in court.

• Witness recalls carnage at scene of fatal crash near Butter Pot Park

Pittman said when she met her future husband,they fell in love immediately and were inseparable.

"Not everyone gets to marry their soulmate, but we did," she said. "Half of me died that day."

When she saw her husband in hospital, she said his head was fractured.

"I screamed at him to wake up."

A nurse herself, Pittman said she knew his brain injuries would kill him, but asked staff to keep him alive until his mother could make it from the Northern Peninsula.

"The suffering is hell. No 38-year-old wife should have to pick out an urn for their husband."

Pittman said because of rage and depression after whathappened, she can no longer work.

She refuses to commit suicide, she said, butis disappointed when she wakes up every day.

The Crown reada statement by Pittman's daughter, Allison Pittman, who said she was left haunted by the crash, wondering if her fatherfelt what happened that day.

"Little girls never stop needing their daddy. I'm no exception," she wrote.

Frances Ralph, the wife of Randy Ralph, also killed in the crash, said, "My heart was torn from my body He was my life, my world."

Ralph gave his heart and soul to all the kids he taught and coached, she said.

"Life is unfair. How will I get through the day when our daughter walks down the aisle without her dad?"

Survivor's guilt

Dwaine Dalton,the driver of the RAV4,is recovering from serious brain injuries. Hetold the court he felt useless to his young family and went on anti-depressants.

The accident has left him with vision problems and he will never drive again, he said. He doesn't know if he will be able to complete his master's degree.

His wife, Lori Dalton, told the court she wondered if he would ever be the man shemarried. She said it took weeks for him to just whisper and months to walk again.

Dalton feels guilty that he survived, his wife said.

She told the court how he said he'd understand if she left him, to which she replied, "I'm going nowhere and neither are you."

The tragic chain of events that led to the crash started whena stolenATVfell out of a pickup on the Trans-Canada Highway near Butter Pot Park.

The truck, which was occupied byFeliciaPynn and Lee Campbell who had taken it out for a test drive from a local dealership left the road, ending up in the centre median, and the stolen ATV bounced out.

Within minutes, other drivers stopped to help, and the RAV4 came upon the accident scene.

The SUV was then struck from behind by Follett's truck.

• 'My glasses flew off ... I was screaming': Kyle Follett testifies in his defence at fatal crash trial

In his decision, Judge Colin Flynn wrote, "I can only conclude that he had fallen asleep, as he first indicated or that he was just not paying attention."

Since all the other drivers slowed down and parked their vehicles safely, Flynn said it was "only logical" to rule Follett was driving "without due care and attention."

The judge also addressed the pain and sufferingin the victim impact statements.

"What I'veheard today is beyond what I've heard in my career."

Changes coming

The charge against Follettwas notcriminal in nature, but was laid under the Highway Traffic Act. The $180 fine he was given was the maximum sentence he could receive.

Sarah Pittman said she worked with governmentand changes are coming that will increase the penalties.

Under the act, there will be a new offence of driving without due care and attention or without reasonable consideration for other persons causing bodily harm or death.

There will be a minimum fine of $2,000 to a maximum fine of $20,000 and up to two years in prison.

A person'slicence can also be suspended for up to five years, with the driver given six demerit points.