A 19-year-old Winnipeg man who hit and killed a cyclist on Wellington Crescent last spring has been sentenced to three years in custody and is barred from driving for five years.
Beckham Severeight learned his fate in a Manitoba provincial courtroom Wednesday after previously pleading guilty to dangerous driving causing death and leaving the scene of a collision.
The charges stem from a June 6 crash that killed 61-year-old Rob Jenner, who was riding his bike to work as the morning commute began.
Judge Cynthia Devine wrote in her decision the sentence must be denunciatory, as causing the loss of a life is the ultimate crime.
“This crime has left Mr. Jenner’s wife without a husband, his children without a father, his nieces and nephews without an uncle, and his uncles without a nephew. His grandchildren will never know him,” Court heard.
Severeight was driving his 18-year-old roommate’s 2013 BMW sedan just before 7 a.m. with only a learner’s permit, Justice Devine said in her decision.
Though his roommate, a licensed driver, was with him in the passenger seat, he did not qualify as a supervising driver.
According to an agreed statement of facts, Severeight was driving eastbound on Wellington Crescent in the curb lane. He rounded a corner and accelerated his speed near the intersection at Hugo Street when he struck Jenner, who was cycling in the same lane.
Justice Devine said Severeight tried to avoid hitting him, but was unsuccessful.
Court heard Severeight was driving 159 km/h at the point of impact—over three times the designated speed limit.
“He panicked,” Devine said.
“His buddy kept telling him to flee. His conscience kept telling him to stop. The bad advice from his 18-year-old friend won the day, and he drove away.”
Jenner was rushed to hospital, but died soon after.
Severeight was later arrested.
The passenger in the vehicle was also charged with failing to stop at the scene of an accident causing death.
The Crown sought a total sentence of four years in prison, citing the overarching need for denunciation and deterrence. Severeight’s defence counsel asked Justice Devine for 18 months in jail and 18 months of supervised probation. Both recommended Severeight be credited for time already served.
During the trial, Court heard victim impact statements from Jenner’s family and the cycling community.
“I miss the days when I felt like I could trust the motorists,” one read.
“The death of Rob Jenner has come with the sickening implication that to simply exist, to transit, to exercise, to live—we must roll the dice on tragedy,” another statement said.
One from Jenner’s wife, Wendy Van Loon, said she is haunted by the excruciating memory of that day. Her heart is shattered and her life is forever changed, Court heard.
“She is confronting the reality of continuing her life without him,” Justice Devine said.
Court heard 35 letters of reference were also submitted for Severeight, all positive. Justice Devine said they provided a picture of a young man who has overcome much hardship in his life to be a positive, caring, responsible, and hardworking member of society.
Justice Devine said Severeight was the grandchild of two residential survivors. Court heard there were addiction issues stemming from trauma in his family, and Severeight dealt with mental health struggles.
In her decision, Justice Devine said her sentence must acknowledge the harm to Jenner’s family and the community at large, as well as Severeight’s moral culpability—which she said was significantly affected and reduced by his circumstances.
While Severeight did not turn himself in, Court heard he took responsibility after he was arrested, showed remorse, and apologized.
He said in a pre-sentencing report he never meant to take Jenner away from his family.
“I personally know what it is like to grow up without a family, and I wouldn’t wish it on anyone.”
Court also heard he had no previous record. He wanted to finish high school with a goal of one day working with children in care.
He was assessed as a low risk to re-offend.
As Severeight was credited for time already served, he will now serve just under two years in a provincial jail, plus 12 months of supervised probation upon release.
