B.C. man sentenced to 4 years in prison for crash that killed woman

A man who killed a young woman in a 2023 crash has been sentenced to four years in prison for impaired driving causing death.

The victim, 22-year-old Abbey Bickell, died when the vehicle she was in was struck by the driver of a Chevrolet Silverado that sped through a red light in Burnaby at 135 km/h.

“This was reckless and dangerous, and Abbey’s death was entirely unnecessary, and all of that came through today in court,” said Amanda Bickell, the deceased’s mother.

The driver, Kolton Lockyer, pleaded guilty to one count of impaired driving causing death and one count of impaired driving causing bodily harm. He was sentenced Thursday to four years on the first count and three years on the second, to be served concurrently.

Lockyer also received a six-month sentence for failing to stop at the scene of an accident—a charge linked to a hit-and-run that occurred in Vancouver before the fatal crash in Burnaby. That sentence will be served consecutively, bringing his total sentence to four-and-a-half years.

The court also imposed a seven-year driving ban.

“From a procedural justice point of view, I think this is a very good outcome—from a restorative justice perspective, nothing can bring Abbey back,” said Bickell.

She said she wants her daughter to be remembered as someone who was strong, adventurous and always striving for new heights. “Abbey doesn’t need to be remembered only about how she died, but about how she lived,” the grieving mother said.

Since her daughter’s death, Bickell has turned to advocacy work. She recently launched the “LIVID podcast,” which highlights raw conversations on the lasting impacts of drunk driving. “Our process takes a very long time, and in all of that time, victims are silenced,” she said.

She also created the Abbey Bickell Memorial Fund. The fund’s objective is “to honour Abbey’s memory as an ally, advocate, and leader” by supporting first responders, victims, and local community organizations focused on youth leadership.

While the legal proceedings have concluded, Bickell said more changes are needed.

“I believe there is a need for some degree of reform. Taking a moment to look at this and see if we are really achieving the goals that we’re setting out in these kinds of sentences,” she said.