‘We cannot find absolute forgiveness’

I think it is VERY low end that this family cannot figure this man for an ACCIDENT. I have seen people forgive people for murdering a family member. Just my opinion, but it seems low end. It was an accident.

Damien:  I understand their pain well and honesty about how valid forgiveness would be under the circumstances.  “Low end” to me would be someone criticizing how a family who has lost a daughter is feeling.

“Bad men are full of repentance.”—Aristotle

Lots of people claim to be repentant.  Are they?  Perhaps.  Perhaps not.  However, repentance can not erase the loss of a life, and expecting persons who were victimized to forgive, as if it is their duty to forgive, is callous.

No person who has been done wrong has a duty to forgive.  It is up to him or her to decide for himself or herself whether they wish to extend that mercy to a wrongdoer.

I would not call it an accident that he was driving on bald all season tires. i would not forgive or forget it was completely his fault.

I interacted with Aliesha on several occasions when she worked at YESAB.  She was intelligent, meticulous, and hard-working.  It is sad that such a nice and talented person was snuffed out at such a young age by someone much older. 

It was NOT an ‘accident’, it was carelessness [bald tires and empty pick-up bed] and driving too fast for the road conditions.

The sentence is way too light for killing someone.

Repentant for what?? It was an accident. You people are acting like he murdered her on purpose. Give your heads a shake.

Damien, because the operator did not use due diligence he consciously made a decision to put himself and others at risk each day he drove.  There is nothing ‘accidental’ about what happened.  No one is saying he set out with intent to kill her but he knowingly took a disregard for safety and a fatality was the result.

Over time there may be forgiveness but not necessarily.

There are many things done on a daily basis which can hurt other people. Examples are impaired driving (even one beer can impair a person when conditions are severe in my mind), using cellphones while driving, speeding, bald tires, carlessness etc.

Accidents are accidents and each person has to assume responsibility for their actions and they should know they may never get the satisfaction of forgiveness if they are at fault.

I know this man. He is a very nice man and would give you the shirt off his back kinda guy. i also know the stretch of road where the accident occurred. I know a person will lose control there no matter what kind of tires you have when icy. i don’t believe Mr. James set out that day to harm anyone and if the family can’t forgive him that’s on them. He did apologize. What’s gonna help you people? To keep him in jail for the rest of his life? Will that help anyone?

The accused was not the only user of the road at that time.  Other road users passed at the same time without any mishap becuase they were careful and considerate and had properly maintained their vehicles before attempting to use the roads.  Had it been the innocent victim who had caused the tragedy and the accused was robbed of his life, would his family be happy about it and shake their heads very nicely?  This is negligence homicide and the penalty does not fit the crime, it’s an insult to injury.

No one can expect forgiveness when their negligence causes the death of another.

We’re all capable of a lapse of judgement. In this case not maintaining his vehicle with good tires (for whatever reason)was such poor judgment, it took the life of this fine young lady.

This is a clear case of negligent homicide. The driver has clearly shown that they do not possess the necessary good judgement to share the road with responsible drivers. At the very least the driver should loose their privilege to drive for the rest of their life.  They can still walk, their victim can’t.

The victim’s family and friends could choose to pursue this in the civil courts since the criminal court has not dispensed meaningful justice.  If they did, it’s likely that many of us would contribute to their legal fees.

This tragedy has a very deep impact on me because I had just participated in a Sudden Impact Program.  It showed a mother who watched agonizingly as her daughter was photographed as a fatality statistic, toe-tagged and zipped into a body bag by the Coroner’s Office.  Tears flowed uncontrollably.  The Sudden Impact Program stages these mock crashes at high schools to demonstrate the consequences of reckless, distracted,  poor judgement and impaired driving.  There’s however, no excuse when older drivers are irresponsible, they should have enough experience.

It’s extremely heartbreaking that one so young as Aliesha had to pay the price for the negligence of someone older.  No one else should have to suffer the same fate because of such a senseless, preventable tragedy.  I suggest that a law should be enforced for everyone in the Yukon to have proper winter tires come September - October.  The offender was totally irresponsible and he will have to live with that guilt on his mind.

“(Judge) Hubbard ruled that James was driving too fast for the icy road conditions on nearly-bald all-season tires when the collision occurred.”

I don’t believe Aliesha set out that day to participate in anyone’s deadly crap shoot game.

Preventable loss of life along with the overwhelming pain and suffering that loved ones surely feel for many years rests solely on the consciences of participants, supporters and enablers of irresponsible behaviour.

Of course the drivers negligence was the cause of the accident.  However the RCMP actually need to enforce the laws of the land.  For instance I can drive from my home in Granger to down town.  Between here and there I will encounter a least a half dozen vehicles unfit for the road because of the tires, lack of mirrors, head lights, marker lights or signal lights.  The majority of yukoners sail through a stop sign as though it was a yield sign.  Many speed or drive aggressively. The RCMP seemed genuinely shocked when they actually did their job and had spot checks and found dozens of drivers high and drunk.

I’m amazed more people aren’t killed every year.

I do not understand why the accused was only charged with driving with undue care and attention. What about negligence and speeding also the all seasoned bald tires?  The RCMP should have charged him with negligence homicide because of dangerous driving and failing to maintain his vehicle with winter tires.  He did not have any regard for the safety of human lives.  This tragedy could have involved more road users if there was more traffic going in the same direction as Aliesha.  The offender did not get the punishment he deserved for killing the victim so cruelly.  He got off very lightly with minor charges and allowed to walk freely whils’t Aliesha’s friends and family have to deal constantly with the enormous pain and suffering of losing her so soon.  In my opinion the RCMP was too lenient with the charges against the accused, they just gave him a pat on the back. It is very unfair considering the magnitude of such a serious crime. Something needs to be done urgently to protect other human beings from this kind of recklessness.