Driver vows to help seniors after tragedy

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This article was published 21/02/2018 (2247 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Winnipeg Transit driver who ran over and killed a 72-year-old woman has not only pleaded guilty and been fined, but is changing his life and career path to help seniors.

Hyun Yang, 48, was fined $2,500 and suspended from driving for a year after pleading guilty this past month to careless driving in the April 7, 2015, death of Gloria Davey. The sentence was a joint recommendation of Crown and defence lawyers.

Yang’s lawyer, Richard Wolson, told provincial court Judge Carena Roller that the man is no longer a bus driver.

“He was asked to resign from Transit and he did,” Wolson said during sentencing.

“He said to me there could have been a union challenge, but his response was ‘How could I drive?’ He has never driven a bus again.”

But Wolson said Yang decided to go back to school and change careers. He is months away from working as a nurse.

“This is a man who has been deeply moved by this. It is a horrible tragedy,” Wolson said.

“He is now in nursing. His goal is to work with senior citizens… he feels he wants to give back to the community and the best way to do it is to work with people of Gloria Davey’s age.”

Yang came to Canada from South Korea to be a Bible studies student, and decided to stay.

He told the judge: “I’m really sorry for the Davey family.

“I deeply regret what happened I am praying for her every day, and for the rest of my life.”

Davey’s family didn’t submit a victim impact statement, but made it clear through Crown attorney Manoja Moorthy that the woman’s death has hurt her family.

“They wanted the court to know she was a very independent lady, worked two jobs and raised four kids on her own. She was healthy and lived on her own.”

The Crown told the court Yang has a clean driving record and no criminal record. She said he worked for Winnipeg Transit for three years before the tragic death.

Moorthy said the fatal collision occurred seconds after Yang let two passengers on the bus at Burrows Avenue and Keewatin Street.

She said Davey, who was heading to a medical appointment, began walking onto the street when the walk signal came on. The bus, which was turning right onto Keewatin, ran over her.

“He failed to direct passengers to seated positions past the yellow line (on the floor of the bus),” the Crown said.

“If the two passengers were not (standing) there, he would have seen her.”

The judge said Davey died because of a few seconds of inattention when Yang failed to follow a Winnipeg Transit policy of making sure passengers were behind the yellow line, which is next to the driver.

“Your carelessness caused the death of Ms. Davey,” Roller said. “She was, from all reports, a remarkable lady.

“She was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. There is nothing she did that put her in harm’s way.”

Davey’s family could not be reached for comment.

kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca