A man who pleaded guilty to a fatal hit-and-run involving a cyclist will have to wait at least a little longer to learn his fate.
John Simpson-Bard previously said he was behind the wheel of a Ford sedan that hit a Guelph cyclist, Susan Bard, on Sept. 5. Simpson-Bard took off before first responders arrived.
Bard was taken to hospital with serious injuries and died the next day on what would have been her 79th birthday.
Bard and Simpson-Bard are not related.
Simpson-Bard was involved in another collision just weeks after Bard’s death. He admitted in court he hit another vehicle on Bagot Street, causing his car to roll over.
Guilty pleas
John Simpson-Bard was initially charged with failing to stop after an accident causing bodily harm. That was later upgraded to failing to remain at a collision causing death and operating an unsafe vehicle.
On Nov. 26, he pleaded guilty to the lesser charge – failing to stop after an accident causing bodily harm. Approximately a month later, he withdrew his first plea and plead guilty to failing to remain at a collision causing death.
Sentencing recommendations
During a sentencing hearing on Wednesday, the Crown recommended 15 months of jail time for the fatal hit-and run and an additional two months for the second incident on Bagot Street. They also recommended a five-year driving ban
Meanwhile, the defence asked for time served, noting Simpson-Bard endured overcrowded spaces and more than 60 days of lockdown while he was incarcerated. The defence also asked for a three-year driving ban.
Ultimately, a sentencing decision was not made on Wednesday, and Simpson-Bard will remain in custody for the time being.
“All of that time does go into, as us lawyers call it, into the bank,” Criminal Defence Lawyer Ari Goldkind, who is not part of the case, told CTV News on Wednesday.
“The judge always factors that in one way or the other to the ultimate sentence. It plays a very significant role in sentencing, it’s not a gift, it’s not something generous, it’s literally how the system has to work for people who can’t get bail.”
Goldkind said the conditions Simpson-Bard faces in jail will be a factor in the judge’s final decision.
“If you’re in a jail that is known to be a hellhole, or where guards overreact to minor incidents, or prisoners are treated worse than the public even wants them to be treated, a judge will look into whether that can be taken into account to make a sentence shorter,” he said.
A family waits for closure
While the debate around what should happen with Simpson-Bard continues, Bard’s family is still living with the pain of her loss.
“Would I like this to be over so I can officially move on with my life? Yes. Would the family as a whole like this to be over so they can all actively move on with their lives? Yes. Do we want there to be a rush decision that would potentially not give him what he deserves? No,” Corinna Matteliano, Bard’s daughter, told CTV News.
“I want my mom back. I mean, I miss her every damn day,” she added.
Bard was an active member of her community and an advocate for active transportation.
Following her death, the Guelph Coalition for Active Transportation held a bike ride in her honour and installed a ghost bike near the crash site. Flowers and a sign proclaiming ‘In memory of Susan bard. A friend to everyone’ were left with the white bike that was chained to a pole.
At least 144 people took part in the ride to celebrate Bard’s life. Some people travelled from as far as Toronto.
“Susan was an amazing advocate for active transportation,” Mike Darmon, advocacy chair for Guelph Coalition for Active Transportation, said following the celebration of Bard’s life in September. “We felt we had to honour her in some way. We also knew that she would want this to be something that would help get more active transportation in the city of Guelph.”
But for now, the family will be waiting until Simpson-Bard’s next court appearance scheduled for March 25.
“I want him to accept some of the responsibility of the ramifications of what he’s done,” Matteliano said.
