Members of the Edmonton Liberian community say they forgive the man responsible for the death of three of its members and the injuring of a fourth.
Brandon Stucka, 27, was given a 10-year prison sentence Friday at Battleford Court of Queen’s Bench after admitting to causing a September 2017 stolen-vehicle crash that killed Eva Tumbay, Jeanette Wright and Glorious David and injured Janet Gaye. The sentence, which includes a 10-year driving ban, will work out to roughly eight more years behind bars for Stucka, after credit for time served.
Stucka pleaded guilty in late May to nine charges, including three counts of criminal negligence causing death and one count of criminal negligence causing bodily harm.
“I forgive him. I honestly have no anger toward him,” Tumbay’s family friend Nancee Daniels said. “I truly forgive him and I hope he does the same for himself.”
Her words were echoed in victim impact statements presented in court. Gaye’s husband, and the pastor at one of the churches attended by members of the Liberian community, told Stucka he travelled to Battleford to tell him directly he forgives him.
“It’s what sets me free,” Glory Blamo told reporters outside court.
Stucka had stolen the truck after breaking into a Wilton, Sask., business and taking keys, according to Crown prosecutor Mitch Piche. A chase with RCMP was called off before the collision, because of public safety concerns. Stucka drove for about three kilometres in the wrong lane on Highway 16 before colliding head-on with the van the women were travelling in. He fled the scene, hiding in an oil-pump shack before being arrested.
The victims’ families and friends who attended the sentencing said hearing what happened brings closure and can help the community move forward.
“We have a sense of peace,” family friend Prince Flowers said.
The three women who died were pillars in the Liberian community in Edmonton. Between the three, 10 children are left without mothers.
Wright was known as a mother to all and helped other families settle in Edmonton. Her son Emmanuel Bracewell recalled the children and Wright fleeing war-ravaged Liberia and getting on a plane in 2000.
“The joy, happiness. We thought it was over. (We were) so happy, but this Sept. 22, it just took everything away. … We hurt. We so hurt,” Bracewell said through tears.
David is remembered as a woman who other women and families turned to for advice and guidance. Her husband said she was a hardworking, loving mother and wife.
Tumbay organized events and cooked remarkable dishes for the Liberian community, and her friends say they think of her every day.
Gaye’s victim impact statement was read in court and said her family’s life has changed since she’s been injured.
“We have to do everything for her literally. It’s a huge change for her children to see that,” Gaye’s husband said.
He said he’s grateful she’s alive and to the Liberian community for its support.
Stucka apologized to the victims’ families and friends, as well as his own family, for the anguish he’s caused. He said the crash wasn’t his intent and that he’ll live with the burden forever.
“All the people I’ve hurt, I pray you can find it in your hearts to forgive me while I struggle to forgive myself,” he said in court.
Court heard Stucka endured various abuse growing up, was homeless as a teenager and deals with addictions and was diagnosed with schizophrenia. His lawyer, Andrew Lyster, said he was trying to get his life on track but was laid off from oil-field work, got involved in drugs and began hanging out with the wrong crowd. He has attended programming while on remand, according to Lyster.
Justice Gerald Allbright told Stucka he wants to see him become a contributing member to society and told him he “has a chance.”
He also wanted Stucka to understand the grace and compassion shown to him by the Liberian community.
He received sentences Friday of eight years each for the negligence charges, which will be served concurrently. He was also handed two consecutive one-year sentences for fleeing police and for leaving the scene of an accident.
Sentences given out for three other offences — break and enter, possession of stolen property and breaching probation — will be served concurrently with the other sentences.
The Crown asked for a 10-year sentence followed by a 20-year driving ban while the defence asked for a sentence of six to seven years and a 10- to 15-year driving ban.
Angelina Irinici was in Battleford for the sentencing submissions:
