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Drunk driver goes to jail for inflicting injury

90 day sentence imposed

90 day sentence imposed

Relief and shock were the two emotions felt by Michelle and Mike Connor when the judge in Provincial Court sent Rebecca Rheault to prison for 90 days.

On April 12, 2010, Rheault slammed her vehicle into Dumont Tire employee Mike Connor sending him flying through the air about 20 feet.

The 40-year-old driver was charged with impaired driving, driving with a blood alcohol limit over the legal limit and dangerous driving causing bodily harm.

In court on Thursday, Jan. 13 she was convicted of impaired driving causing bodily harm and now faces 90 days in jail, a two-year driving prohibition and two years on probation. After the sentence was read out, Rheault was immediately led away by sheriffs.

“This is good news,” says Connor’s wife Michelle. “The Crown was asking for a 90-day jail sentence and when he (the judge) granted it you could have blown us over with a feather.”

The Connors were fearful that Rheault would receive nothing more than a slap on the wrist, which Michelle said would have been like a “slap in the face to Mike.”

In court for the sentencing were Mike and Michelle Connor, his parents, and Rose Dumont who laid on the ground keeping Mike conscious after the accident until the ambulance arrived.

“She needed it just as much as him,” said Michelle about Rose Dumont. “People want to see justice served.”

Mike is happy with the way things turned out.

“She received everything the Crown recommended, we didn’t expect jail time. I’m quite pleased with the way it went down,” he said.

Mike is back to work full-time at Dumont Tire but his injuries continue to plague him.

“I’m still sore with shoulder, neck and knee problems,” said Mike.

Mike is not a complainer and Michelle said, “he’s doing okay, not fabulous. It will be a while before he is back to his old self. People don’t hear him get up or come home from work in pain. It will be a long recovery.”

Michelle said the worst part is what he will likely be unable to do any time soon. He has been playing ball since he was four-years-old and this year will be the first time he can’t play. Michelle said they still have to deal with the head injury part of Mike’s injuries.

“It hurts to hear that... but if that’s the worst we have to deal with — we’re lucky,” she said.

Rheault has a number of conditions imposed on her which include no contact with Mike Connor whatsoever. She has to abstain absolutely from consumption of alcohol and drugs and complete 50 hours of community service by September 20, 2011.