Friday December 20, 2019 ~ WEST SHORE
~ West Shore Voice News
UDPATE December 20 – 6 pm: [ ICBC has since rescinded their legal statement and say that full liability rests with the intoxicated driver who impacted Cst Beckett’s vehicle. ]
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The West Shore RCMP has issued a statement this afternoon, which reads in full:
- “We have had many inquires regarding the story published by CTV involving the civil suit between ICBC and the Attorney General regarding the damages to the RCMP vehicle that was being driven by Cst. Sarah Beckett at the time of her death.
- Our Officer In Charge Inspector Todd Preston wishes to make the following statement:
- “Kenneth Fenton has been convicted in criminal court of impaired driving causing death as well as dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing death. We are aware of the civil suit and the response filed by ICBC.”
- “On our end we remain deeply affected by the loss of our friend and respected colleague, Sarah. The timing of this story coming out so close to Christmas leaves myself and the membership of West Shore RCMP saddened,” said Inspector Todd Preston, Officer In Charge of West Shore RCMP.
Cst Sarah Beckett — age 32 and the mother of two young boys — was injured in a car crash on April 5, 2016 while on duty in the wee hours of the morning, at the corner of Peatt Road and Goldstream Avenue in Langford. She died shortly afterward in hospital.
As stated in the CTV News item on December 20, 2019, ICBC is saying that Cst Beckett herself was negligent.
A civil claim against Fenton and his insurer (ICBC) is seeking to recoup the costs of Beckett’s damaged RCMP cruiser on behalf of the Attorney General of Canada.
Kenneth Jacob Fenton, age 29 at the time, was given a four-year sentence after pleading guilty to charges of impaired driving and dangerous driving causing death. His blood alcohol level was three times over the legal limit.