The driver convicted in a 2017 Saanich crash that left then 11-year-old Leila Bui unresponsive and severely injured will appear in a Victoria court on Wednesday as her appeal case begins.
Tenessa Nikirk was convicted of dangerous driving causing bodily harm in January of 2020 and, in December of that year, was sentenced to two years in federal jail. Her sentencing also included a three-year driving ban that would follow her prison time.
Nikirk was released on bail on Jan. 5, 2021, after filing for her conviction to be appealed.
Court documents obtained by Black Press Media show a hearing on Nikirk’s appeal case is scheduled for Wednesday (Dec. 15) in Victoria.
On Dec. 20, 2017, Nikirk was driving a Mercedes SUV when she struck Bui in a Saanich crosswalk. Leila, who had been on her way to school, was thrown roughly 25 metres. She now requires constant care and uses a wheelchair.
During the trial in Victoria, evidence revealed that Nikirk was texting and driving erratically before the crash.
READ: Driver convicted of dangerous driving after hitting Leila Bui out on bail
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