Mother of Grande Prairie teen killed in crash speaking out against parole decision

Brenden Holubowich arrives to for his appearance in a Grande Prairie courtroom on Tuesday, Feb. 26.

Not long after a parole board panel in Drumheller determined the man charged in a 2011 collision that left four Grande Prairie teens dead – the mother of one of the deceased spoke out against the decision.

On Thursday, Brenden Holubowich appeared before a two-person panel for his parole hearing.

During the hearing, Holubowich was asked a number of questions about the incident that unfolded on a highway near Grande Prairie in October 2011 – when his truck hit the side of a car that had five teenagers, all members of the Grande Prairie Warriors football team.

The crash killed four of the teens who were later identified as Matthew Deller, Tanner Hildebrand, Vince Stover, and Walter Borden-Wilkens, and left the fifth, Zach Judd, critically injured.

In February, Holubowich was sentenced to three years behind bars.

The panel said it wasn’t an easy decision – but granted Holubowich day parole with conditions that he must abstain from alcohol, and seek counseling for emotional issues and substance abuse.

After the news that the man convicted for his role in the tragic crash had been granted parole surfaced, Matthew Deller’s mother said the decision wasn’t fair.

“This is what it’s been made out to be like, for him it’s been an inconvenience,” Jennifer Larose said in a phone interview Thursday evening. “Everyone from the media and on social [networks], and Beaverlodge and Grande Prairie it’s been ‘Feel sorry for Brenden Holubowich because he killed those boys, and we need to feel sorry for him because he has to go through this, and he has to live with this.’

“You know what? He killed our children, he took our children from us. He doesn’t have to live with anything.”

Following Holubowich’s hearing, his mother talked to CTV News about the decision.

“We’re pleased he’s been given a chance for day parole, and emerge back into life,” Teresa Bateman said. “He really has a desire and he’s had a decision from early on to talk about this with youth.

“We know that driving too fast is happening by way to many people.”

In the wake of the decision, Holubowich is expected to be transferred to a halfway house once a bed becomes available – where that will be will be determined with consultation from his parole officer and correctional officials.

Holubowich was also eligible for full parole, but that was denied – the panel said they wanted to see how he would do with day parole first.

With files from Laura Tupper