Ile-Bizard woman guilty of impaired driving after 2021 collision that killed cyclist

A 32-year-old woman from Île-Bizard is facing jail time after she was found guilty Thursday of driving while impaired by prescription drugs.

Christine Pryde was suffering from stomach pain, hadn't slept or eaten anything in 48 hours, and took her prescribed Ativan to treat anxiety.

On May 18, 2021, she drove her car on L'Anse-à-l’Orme near Senneville when she struck and killed 50-year-old cyclist Irene Dehem.

Pryde survived the collision, but her car was totalled after it rolled over in a ditch. She told witnesses on site that she felt tired.

Quebec Court Justice Dennis Galiatsatos found Pryde guilty of impaired driving, dangerous driving, and criminal negligence causing death. The court ruled that Pryde was in no physical shape to drive.

Her doctor prescribed Ativan, which comes with a warning label regarding drowsiness, and the judge ruled that the accused should have known not to get behind the wheel.

"The signs were numerous. She was aware she was so tired that she was on her way to get a coffee. She chose to drive a car. It could have been avoided," wrote Galiatsatos in his 87-page ruling.

During the trial, the defence argued Pryde suffered an episode of sleep apnea that could have caused her to suddenly fall asleep.

The judge also wrote that the accident was a tragedy for everyone, including Pryde.

"[She] also lives with a crushing feeling of regret and she will continue to carry the weight of the victim's death on her shoulders for her lifetime," he wrote.

Galiatsatos also explained that Pryde did not set out to hurt anyone that day.

Pryde sobbed once the verdict was announced. The Crown prosecutor told the media that there were important lessons learned in this case.

"It was basically driving, knowing that the side effects could show up and not stopping to drive when these side effects did appear," Annick Archambeault said while expressing satisfaction with the verdict.

The victim's family had mixed feelings.

"I mean, it doesn't change anything from the fact that my my kids don't have their mother anymore," Dehem's widow, Dominic Lemelin, said.

He says he's not angry, calling it a tragedy for everyone involved.

"I was not necessarily angry … No, it's a pitiful condition."

A ghost bike was installed after the crash on L'Anse-à-l’Orme to remind drivers to be careful in the presence of cyclists. The victim's son, Friedrich Lemelin, says a bike path, rather than a bike lane, might have saved his mother.

"Bike path which is secured with a physical barrier between cars and cyclists or even pedestrians would have definitely helped at least to avoid cases like this one," he said.

The court asked for a pre-sentencing report to look into Pryde's background and help the judge determine what kind of sentence she should get.

A sentencing hearing is scheduled for February 2025.