'I am reliving the nightmare one more time', Hancock family outraged by decision to parole drunk driver who killed son

Hancock family devastated by decision to parole drunk driver who killed son Kim and Dean Hancock say they are insulted and outraged parole was granted to the drunk driver who killed their son. Alana Everson reports.

Thursday marks almost three years to the day, that a drunk driver killed a Sudbury teenager in a crash on the Highway 17 bypass.

The tragedy shocked the city and devastated the family of DJ Hancock.

The drunk driver went to jail, but as of this week, he is out on parole.

Members of the Hancock family told CTV they are insulted and outraged.

Kim and Dean Hancock were working in their automotive shop when they received word the drunk driver who killed their son has been granted full parole.

"I feel like someone stuck a knife through my heart," said Kim Hancock.

"I feel like I am going to be in the emerg(ency room) tonight. I am reliving the nightmare one more time."

Walter Carter will be living in his own accommodations in North Bay. Under the supervised conditions of his parole he has been ordered to not to consume alcohol, to follow a treatment plan, avoid drinking establishments and he is not to contact the victims.

After his death in that crash, DJ Hancock was the face of the MADD Canada Red Ribbon campaign in 2016.

The popular teenager was driving home from a hockey practice on the Highway 17 south/west bypass when Carter crossed the centre line - drunk - and crashed into Hancock.

Carter was sentenced to five years in jail.

"It's almost three years to the day, so he served less than three years in prison and really he's probably served a year and a half with all his work placements, and half way house and everything else," said Kim.

"It just makes no sense. The laws have to change for drinking and driving."

Kim says drunk driver penalties need to reflect the devastation they cause.

"They need to be 10 years, 15 years. They need to be treated like a murderer. I have said it before again, it didn't matter if he was walking down the street and took a gun to DJ's head. His vehicle was a weapon that night. He made a conscious decision to drive," she said.

The Hancocks say they are in therapy after experiencing flashbacks of the scene of the crash and to deal with the heartbreaking loss of DJ.

Kim adds Carter may be a free man but they continue to live in an emotional prison.