Cottam man sentenced to house arrest in trial of 2022 crash

A Cottam man has received his sentence following a 2022 crash. CTV Windsor’s Stefanie Masotti has the details.

A Cottam man, who pleaded guilty mid-trial to dangerous driving after a crash in 2022, has been sentenced to an eight-month conditional sentence.

Cameron Drouillard, now 21, was charged with impaired driving, dangerous driving causing bodily harm, impaired driving causing bodily harm, and failure to provide the necessities of life after a crash on Finn Lane in Lakeshore on Oct. 16, 2022.

“I would never get into a driver seat if I was drinking,” said Maya Prentice, who faced serious but non-life-threatening injuries from that crash.

Public assumption that Prentice was behind the wheel has now been put to rest, three years later.

“If you don’t know the story, don’t say anything about it,” she told CTV News outside of the Superior Courthouse Friday.

“This isn’t just gossip. This is the trauma that I had to live through, and my family had to live through.”

Drouillard admitted in court Thursday he was driving that day and that he lied to first responders, police, and hospital staff about who was behind the wheel.

“I was 18 years old and made a horrible decision that day,” he told the court during his allocution.

He added he decided to plead guilty mid-trial after hearing testimony from Prentice’s mother, who described both the physical and emotional harm Maya faced.

“As much physical pain that I went through, the mental pain was worse than anything that I could ever describe,” said Prentice.

Justice Dube noted Drouillard’s guilty plea meant Prentice did not have to take the stand, avoiding her being re-traumatized.

But Prentice said she was prepared to testify.

“Things would have been a lot different if there was accountability from the beginning,” she said.

“The court saying it’s great that he’s admitting it now really means nothing to me admitting it three years later.”

Justice Dube handed Drouillard an eight-month conditional sentence. 60 of those days will be served under house arrest.

As part of his sentence, he cannot have any contact with Prentice, keep 30 metres away from her, and he cannot buy or consume any substances.

Dube said the consequences of breaking these conditions could lead to his arrest and jail time for the remainder of his sentence.

After Drouillard has completed his eight-month sentence, he will be on probation for one year.

“I don’t think it’s enough for what he’s done,” said Prentice.

“What he’s put me and my family through. But it’s just how the court system works in Canada.”

Prentice said she plans to file a civil lawsuit.

Drouillard declined an interview with CTV News.