Tecumseh man sentenced to three years for impaired driving that claimed life of girlfriend

CTV Windsor: Impaired driving sentence Tecumseh man pleads guilty to impaired driving in crash that killed his girlfriend. Michelle Maluske was in court.

A Tecumseh man has pleaded guilty to impaired driving in the death of his girlfriend Cynthia Harrison in Nov. of 2017 and will serve jail time.

Jeffrey Wilson pleaded guilty to impaired driving causing death and impaired driving causing bodily harm in Windsor court Wednesday morning.

Wilson will serve three years in prison, as well as a five-year driving ban once released.

Wilson was driving a car involved in a two-vehicle crash on McHugh St. and Mickey Renaud Way that ultimately claimed the life of his 39-year-old girlfriend, Cindy Harrison, on Nov. 19, 2017. The mother of two was partially ejected from the SUV she was a passenger in. Wilson was the driver. Court heard today the pair had been at Caesars Windsor that night before driving home.

Court heard the 46-year-old’s vehicle was traveling 120 km/h at the time of the crash and registered twice the legal limit of alcohol when his Buick Rainier collided with a Honda Civic.

The passenger of the Civic was also seriously injured, suffering from a dislocated hip and a cut to the head. Wilson pleaded guilty to impaired driving for causing those injuries as well.

Before he was sentenced, Wilson said, "I am deeply regretful for my actions that day" to Justice Micheline Rawlins. He also apologized to the family of Harrison for "all the pain" he has caused.

Defence lawyer Brian Ducharme told the court Wilson loved Harrison and he will "carry this burden with him for the rest of his life," saying that burden is worse than any prison sentence.

Crown Attorney Eric Costaris says it's been 25 years since one of the very first impaired driving sentences was handed down in Canada and yet impaired driving "still causes more deaths than any other crime in this country."

Justice Rawlins gave Wilson credit for pleading guilty and sparing the Harrison family a trial. "Everyone in this courtroom lost a loved one... but it's done and now we have to have a punishment," Rawlins said.

Members of both the Harrison and Wilson families declined to comment outside of court.