Duane Nepoose to be sentenced Thursday for killing 9-year-old Victoria Desjardins while fleeing police
The Calgary man who stole a minivan and hit speeds of 180 km/h before blowing a red light on Macleod Trail will learn his sentence today.
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Duane Nepoose, the Calgary man who killed a child while fleeing police in a stolen minivan on Boxing Day 2024, is being sentenced Thursday, August 27.
Nepoose, 32, pleaded guilty last year to dangerous driving causing death, dangerous driving causing bodily harm, robbery and flight from police. On December 26, 2024, he stole a minivan from a pharmacist and fled when police attempted to pull him over. He accelerated to speeds of up to 180 km/h and blew a red light on Macleod Trail, crashing into a car driven by Amanda Reitmeier.
Victoria Desjardins, 9, who was in the back seat of her mother's car, was gravely injured and died in hospital hours after the crash. Her sister suffered fractured vertebrae and a concussion. Reitmeier remained hospitalized for weeks with a fractured pelvis, liver contusions and spinal fractures.
Prosecutor Todd Buziak proposed a prison sentence of up to 10 and a half years, citing Nepoose's lengthy criminal record and assessment as a "very high risk" to violently reoffend. Defence lawyers Rebecca Snukal and Sam Taylor asked Justice Indra Maharah to impose a sentence between seven and nine years. Video of the crash and aftermath, including police body-worn footage showing officers and firefighters' efforts to save Desjardins' life, was played during Nepoose's guilty plea hearing.
What sentence does Justice Maharah impose today, and how does it compare to the Crown and defence proposals?
What specific details are in Nepoose's criminal record that led to his assessment as very high risk?
We'll update this story as answers emerge.
The facts
Who died in the crash on Macleod Trail?
Victoria Desjardins, 9 years old, died in hospital hours after the December 26, 2024 crash. She was a passenger in her mother Amanda Reitmeier's car when Duane Nepoose's stolen minivan hit it.
What charges did Duane Nepoose plead guilty to?
Duane Nepoose pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing death, dangerous driving causing bodily harm, robbery, and flight from police.
How fast was Nepoose driving when he hit the car?
Duane Nepoose accelerated to speeds of up to 180 km/h before blowing a red light on Macleod Trail and crashing into Amanda Reitmeier's vehicle on December 26, 2024.
What sentence did the prosecutor recommend?
Prosecutor Todd Buziak proposed a prison sentence of up to 10 and a half years, citing Duane Nepoose's lengthy criminal record and assessment as a 'very high risk' to violently reoffend.
