N.S. man who lost family in crash outraged as impaired driver gets temporary releases from prison

A Nova Scotia man who lost four family members is outraged an impaired driver is getting a temporary release.

It has been more than four-and-a-half years since four members of David Fletcher’s family were killed in an impaired driving crash in Beauport, Que.

The Dominion, N.S., man lost his father and sister, along with a niece and nephew, on Sept. 2, 2021.

“We’re down here grieving for the last four years,” Fletcher told CTV Atlantic in a recent interview. “Birthdays, Christmas, we have nothing.”

The man who was convicted in relation to the crash — 48-year-old Eric Legare of Quebec — was sentenced to 15 years in jail and a 25-year driving ban, one of the stiffest penalties in Quebec’s history for impaired driving causing death.

Recently, Legare was granted temporary absences from prison to visit family members.

‘Slapping me in the face’

The decision is not sitting well with Fletcher and his family.

“Right, here is how I see my family every day,” Fletcher said, gesturing to two urns on a mantelpiece in his living room. “They’re home here on a mantel and we still sit around and we talk about old memories and stuff like that. I would give 10 minutes to have with my family.”

In its written decision, the Parole Board of Canada said Legare’s behaviour while in custody, and the fact he has shown some remorse, justifies the decision, adding the risk to reoffend has been assessed as low.

Conditions of the temporary absences include:

• the offender may not consume alcohol or drugs
• the offender may not have contact with the victim’s family

“They told us they would make an example of this man for killing four people, but now the same system is slapping me in the face,” said Fletcher.

Fletcher added the loss and all of the parole board hearings have been the hardest on his mother, who lost her husband, a daughter and two grandchildren.

“Me and my mother got a life sentence on Sept. 2,” said Fletcher. “It’s the same thing every day. You wake up, first thing on your mind — go to bed, it’s the last thing on your mind every day.”

• RELATED STORY: Cape Breton man who lost four relatives in horrifying crash in Quebec speaks out against drunk driving

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