By Troy Gillard - R.D.News Now

Jail time for Red Deer woman who crashed school bus while impaired

Nov 6, 2017 | 3:21 PM

RED DEER, AB — A Red Deer woman has been sentenced to 45 days in jail for being impaired while driving a school bus in Red Deer when it crashed with students on board.

Shelly Joy Kolodychuk was also given a 12-month driving ban and 12 months’ probation in Red Deer Provincial Court Monday afternoon.

The 42-year-old pleaded guilty in September to one count of operating a motor vehicle with a blood-alcohol level over 80mg.

It was on the afternoon of June 5 when a bus carrying 18 students from École Barrie Wilson School, between the ages of five and 12 years old, struck a tree in the Vanier Woods neighbourhood.

A witness to the collision called 911 after the bus collided with a tree and a sign, then continued to drive for a short distance before stopping. No one was injured.

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A container with alcohol that smelled “fruity” was discovered on Kolodychuk’s bus following the crash. She then provided two breath samples which registered a blood-alcohol level of 200mg.

Crown Prosecutor Ed Ring asked Judge Bert Skinner for a sentence of 30 to 45 days in jail along with a 15-month driving ban and 12 months’ probation.

Kolodychuk’s defence lawyer, Will Wilms, asked that she instead receive a heavy fine in addition to probation, saying Kolodychuk has taken responsibility by pleading guilty and seeking out addiction treatment on her own.

Wilms explained that Kolodychuk began seeking treatment for anxiety issues in Nov. 2016 and had fallen into a pattern of “self-medicating” at the time of the incident.

Wilms also told court that both Kolodychuk and her husband have quit drinking since the June 5 incident.

While Kolodychuk had no prior criminal record and has shown remorse and accountability for her actions, Skinner said he could not overlook the aggravating circumstances in the incident: Kolodychuk’s blood-alcohol level, her refusal to stop after hitting the tree, the number and age of the children aboard the bus, and the harm caused not only to herself but also students, parents, her employer, and the community. 

Skinner also noted Kolodychuk committed a significant breach of trust given she was a professional bus driver who was operating a bus while children were on board, adding it was lucky that no children were hurt in the crash.

“[It is] very unlikely the accused will ever see doors of the courthouse again because of her efforts to ensure her issues are appropriately addressed,” Skinner noted. 

Three other counts against Kolodychuk – impaired operation of a motor vehicle, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, and fail to remain at the scene of a collision – were dropped in light of her guilty plea.

Kolodychuk will be serving her sentence on weekends starting this Friday.