A Malakwa woman will be sentenced early next year after pleading guilty to a charge of criminal negligence relating to the death of Troy Charlton.
Christina Laforge was arrested following Charlton’s death on Aug. 14, 2013.
On that date, at approximately 2:30 a.m., a Sicamous RCMP officer patrolling Main Street witnessed a vehicle driven by Laforge travelling in the same lane towards him. The officer slowed to a stop as the oncoming vehicle pulled into the correct lane to pass. Preparing to stop the oncoming driver for a sobriety check, the officer noticed a person lying on the road. The officer got out his vehicle to check the person’s condition.
Meanwhile, Laforge had stopped half a block down the road and walked back to engage the officer.
Severely injured, the 49-year-old Charlton was transported to hospital in Salmon Arm, where he died from his injuries.
Police investigators learned how earlier that night, Charlton and Laforge had been at the same social gathering, after which he was witnessed riding on the hood of Laforge’s vehicle.
While police called the incident an accident, Laforge was charged with two counts of impaired driving causing death, two counts of criminal negligence causing death as well as dangerous driving causing death. She recently pleaded guilty to count two of criminal negligence causing death.
Laforge is scheduled for sentencing on Feb. 1, 2016 at 9:30 a.m. in Salmon Arm Provincial Court.