A 26-year-old man was sentenced to two years in jail Wednesday for a deadly crash after a street race in the Ville-Marie Tunnel in March 2013.
Van Duan Nguyen and friend Van Than Long Nguyen were both found guilty of dangerous driving.
Driving in separate cars, they decided to race in the Ville- Marie tunnel after spending the evening drinking and partying.
They drove at nearly 180 kilometres an hour.
They collided and then crashed into the tunnel wall near the Mountain St. exit, instantly killing one passenger and seriously injuring two other people.
Both men were not allowed to be on the road: Van Duan had a suspended sentence, while Van Than Long was breaking curfew because of a pending court case.
Van Duan pleaded guilty last summer, but several witnesses testified that he'd learned his lesson, and that he should be given a second chance – including the brother of the passenger who died.
The prosecution was unable to get survivors to cooperate.
The judge rejected a call for clemency for Van Duan, handing down a two-year sentence. He will be barred from driving for four years after his release.
“I think he got a fair sentence. The judge considered all the elements she had. I hope the message is clear that this type of driving can't be tolerated,” said prosecutor Anik Archambault.
The co-accused received a similar sentence, also having witnesses testify that he was a changed man following the crash.
Van Than Long, however, breached his bail conditions and was also arrested for growing marijuana.
