Coroner releases findings in fatal snowmobile incident
The Yukon chief coroner has ruled that the death of Whitehorse man in a snowmobile accident last year was a homicide.
The Yukon chief coroner has ruled that the death of Whitehorse man in a snowmobile accident last year was a homicide.
Shannon Meawasige, 38, was a passenger on the snowmobile, which rolled after it travelled off a steep, two-metre-high embankment along the South Klondike Highway north of Carcross.
That was at dusk on April 18, about one kilometre south of Spirit Lake.
An autopsy conducted at Vancouver General Hospital found that Meawasige’s cause of death was blunt force injuries to his spine.
“The spinal cord was severed and the injuries would have proven rapidly fatal,” writes Kirsten Macdonald in her report, completed Dec. 16.
Her finding of homicide isn’t synonymous with murder, but rather means the death was the result of the “culpable actions of another person.”
The driver of the snowmobile, Wayne Leigh Noseworthy, was charged with impaired driving causing death. His next court appearance is scheduled for April.
Toxicology tests revealed Meawasige was intoxicated with alcohol at the time of the accident. He was not wearing a helmet.
The snowmobile had no mechanical defects that contributed to the accident, the report states.
Comments (10)
Up 5 Down 2
Groucho d'North on Jan 17, 2015 at 6:12 pm
Another example of how the English language is being bastardized. It seems in legal terms it is most prevalent. The recent term "lateral threats" comes to mind. Fussy meaning, unintelligible, obscure, ambiguous and unclear words and phrases appear to be added to the dialog to serve some purpose.
In the popular nomenclature 'homicide' as said millions of times in TV dramas has a distinct and understood meaning for the majority of the literate populace. To give it a new meaning in this application may be technically correct but it is not clear language if you wish to be understood- OR it could be some twist that will be revealed in a courtroom near you in the future. We are growing much more suspicious as a society as well. But without this intercourse we do not grow as a community. Enjoy your words.
Up 4 Down 7
bullets kill people, not guns on Jan 16, 2015 at 3:31 pm
"Nevertheless, if the driver did not lay hand on the passenger, then obviously the snow-mobile committed homicide. But that's just my simple logic."
I agree. I can't imagine who else that simple logic might belong to.
Up 3 Down 7
check your facts Mike Kohler on Jan 16, 2015 at 1:49 pm
"I guess if you get your "facts" at Wikipedia, you may come to a different conclusion.
Nevertheless, if the driver did not lay hand on the passenger, then obviously the snow-mobile committed homicide. But that's just my simple logic."
No, I get my facts from OED (have you heard of it?) - "homicide - the killing of a human being by another" - so unless the snowmobile somehow started itself and drove away with Mr. Meawasige on it, then we're talking homicide here (note that I didn't say murder). By your "simple logic" Mike Kohler - if I take a gun and my wife gets shot by it, well the gun killed her, not me because I "did not lay a hand" on her.
Up 5 Down 5
Mike Kohler on Jan 15, 2015 at 6:26 pm
@ Check your facts
homicide |ˈhäməˌsīd; ˈhōmə-|noun
the "deliberate" and unlawful killing of one person by another; murder : he was charged with homicide ...
I guess if you get your "facts" at Wikipedia, you may come to a different conclusion.
Nevertheless, if the driver did not lay hand on the passenger, then obviously the snow-mobile committed homicide. But that's just my simple logic.
Up 11 Down 5
B. Foster on Jan 15, 2015 at 1:15 pm
@june
You make many assumptions. The most egregious being that "certainly Mr. Noseworthy will never recover".
I would argue that it could certainly be said he will never forget, that he will have to live with what happened forever, that the choice is his whether he learns from this or not....seemingly minor decisions often have major repercussions, very true.
That one cannot recover from something like this...very not true. It's a harsh lesson but that doesn't mean it's a lesson that can't be learned. This will change him; it needn't end him.
Quality....not quantity when commenting.
Up 11 Down 13
Check your facts Mike Kohler on Jan 15, 2015 at 1:03 pm
Mike Kohler says :
"I find it rather disturbing (for any further court proceedings), that the coroner would use the term homicide (and (re)-interpret the meaning at the same time), when it should be up to a court or jury to decide. "
Mike maybe you should check a dictionary - homocide is the killing of one person by another - simple as that, might be an accident, a murder (seems you're confusing the word murder with homicide) etc. The coroner uses the word correctly, and has done so in respect of other such reports.
Also Mike, while you have the dictionary open, you might want to check the definition of 'cervical spine' (which is the language used in the coroner's report) - that's the part of the spine that starts at the base of the skull -so maybe wearing a helmet would have saved this man's life - it many have absorbed the impact.
Anyway, with those pesky corrections out of the way, carry on your rant...
Up 21 Down 10
Mike Kohler on Jan 14, 2015 at 5:21 pm
I find it rather disturbing (for any further court proceedings), that the coroner would use the term homicide (and (re)-interpret the meaning at the same time), when it should be up to a court or jury to decide.
Maybe this is because our society has become so controlling and judgmental that we do not accept that accidents (or call it acts of God) do happen and think we somehow can regulate them away.
It's also curious that every article that deals with off-road vehicle accidents has to mention if the rider was/was not wearing a helmet, even when it is quite clear in many cases, as it is here, that death was not caused by a head injury at all.
That always seems to be the first question by the medical professionals and bureaucrats, and I wonder if it is to satisfy those who rely on statistics to drive their agenda of regulating people engaging in dangerous outdoor activities. Because statistically this will register as a fatal accident without helmet worn.
Up 24 Down 27
June Jackson on Jan 14, 2015 at 4:38 pm
If only these young men could take back just 10 minutes.. have one less drink..
To all those that think impaired driving is ok.. take a look at the massive suffering this has caused. One life over, one life ruined, certainly Mr. Noseworthy will never recover, families in trauma and grief.
Why does anyone still want to drink and drive, do drugs and drive, cell phone and drive, a baby on your shoulder and drive.. When you drive impaired.. there are no do-overs.
Up 7 Down 12
anonymous on Jan 14, 2015 at 4:06 pm
Then it isn't homicide (that is murder). It is manslaughter.
Up 36 Down 0
bb on Jan 14, 2015 at 4:04 pm
Very sad all round. I've been on the back of machines before where the driver is being maniacal, and we scraped through. Talking of in my teens/twenties. Don't ride with inebriated and/or crazy people.