Crown prosecutors are seeking a six-year prison sentence for a man who caused a crash that killed three teenagers from Carrot River in May 2015.

Normand Lavoie told court he was on “auto-pilot” and doesn’t remember seeing the construction warning signs before the crash during sentencing arguments Tuesday at Court of Queen’s Bench in Melfort.

The three teens — Carter Stevenson, 17, Kristian Skalicky,15, and Justin Gaja,14, — were pronounced dead at the scene after Lavoie’s semi-truck rear-ended their car in a construction zone on Highway 6, south of Melfort.

The trio were all high school football players on their way home football camp. A flag person from B.C. was also injured in the crash.

Lavoie, 41, pleaded guilty to three counts of dangerous driving causing death and one count of dangerous driving causing bodily harm last May. He was originally scheduled for trial before entering the guilty plea.

Crown prosecutor Tyla Olenchuk is asking for a six-year sentence, citing the multiple deaths and because Lavoie was a professional truck driver.

“The Saskatchewan public who drive on our highways deserve to feel safe, and the people who work in construction zones deserve to feel safe,” Olenchuk told reporters outside of court Tuesday.

Defence lawyer Mike Nolin is asking for a sentence of two years plus one day on behalf of Lavoie. Nolin said he’s uncomfortable asking for a federal sentence, but Lavoie is requesting it because then he may get to serve time near his family in Manitoba.

Nolin says the range for similar cases in Saskatchewan is 15 to 26 months and that six years is inappropriate.

“I don't see how society is served in trying to make new law in this situation for an offender with no prior record and a low risk to reoffend,” he said.

Numerous victim impact statements were read aloud in court Tuesday. Two of the boys’ moms sobbed as they talked coping with the loss.

“It’s a pain so intense I don’t even know how a person survives it … my days are so very hard and always will be,” Justin’s mom, Crystal Baja, said.

Lavoie choked back tears when he addressed the families and said he’d contemplated suicide because of the crash, but that he has his own family who needs him. He said he’s at fault, but did not cause the crash intentionally.

“If you could find it in your hearts someday to forgive me … please understand I am truly deeply sorry for your losses,” Lavoie said.

He also told court his mother and grandmother were killed by a semi driver when he was a teenager.

“In my career, I've never had a case where I stood up and said he knows precisely how you feel,” Nolin said.

The judge has reserved her decision on sentencing until Sept. 11 in Melfort.