The Kitchener woman whose drunken drive the wrong way down a one-way street ended with an explosion that devastated Old East Village has been handed a three year prison sentence.
Daniella Leis, 24, was sentenced Thursday in London court on four counts of impaired driving causing bodily harm in relation to the August 2019 blast. Leis, dressed in a black blazer, pink tank top, and black pants, sat quietly in the prisoner's box while her parents and boyfriend looked on from inside the courtroom.
Ontario Court Justice George Orsini made clear in his sentencing decision that Leis "ought to have known better" than to drink and drive.
"Given the amount of alcohol consumed, this was not one of those cases where an individual could mistakenly believe that they were in any condition to drive. She made the decision to drive when she had to know she was in no condition to do so," said Orsini. "In short, she made the conscious decision to risk the lives and safety of others."
Leis had nearly three times the legal limit of alcohol in her system, along with some drugs, when she left a concert in downtown London the night of August 14, 2019. Driving her father's car, she travelled the wrong way down Queens Avenue for roughly 2.78 kilometres before crashing into a home at 450 Woodman Ave. Reports indicate her vehicle began to accelerate moments before impact. The crash severed a natural gas line which caused the home to fill with gas before it ignited 15 minutes later. The explosion obliterated 450 Woodman and sent glass flying 76 metres and other debris up to 180 metres away. More than 70 homes had to be evacuated and 30 were damaged that night. Homes at 448 and 452 Woodman were so severely damaged they had to be torn down in the days that followed. Total damage to the neighbourhood has been estimated at $15 million.
Aerial photo of the damage caused by an explosion in Old East Village. Photo provided by London police.
While no one was killed, four people, two firefighters and two police officers, suffered severe injuries in the explosion.
Orsini outlined the four men's significant injuries in his decision, even referencing a quote from firefighter Thomas Wenhardt's victim impact statement.
"The countless appointments to try to lessen my facial scarring will only take me so far. I continually work on coming to terms with the visible facial scars that will be with me for the rest of my life," Orsini read from Wenhardt's statement. "To have an incident of this magnitude happen to me so early in my career will have a lasting impact on my mental health."
Wenhardt had only been on the job two years at the time of the incident. He was buried in the rubble from the blast and had to be dug out and carried to an ambulance by his colleagues. He was rushed to hospital in critical condition and remained there for eight days.
Leis publicly apologized after hearing victim impact statements at a hearing last month, stating "I can’t express how truly sorry I am for what I’ve done to you...I robbed you of quality time with your families, I robbed you of your careers and for that I will never forgive myself.”
Orsini stated Thursday that he believes Leis is "genuinely remorseful."
"[She] demonstrates an understanding of the suffering that has been and will continue to be experienced by those who as a result of her behaviour were required to put themselves in harm's way to save the lives of others."
He acknowledged mitigating factors in the case including Leis' guilty plea, decision to seek counselling for alcohol abuse, and lack of a criminal record prior to the crash. He also touched on her Indigenous background, which was outlined in a Gladue report compiled prior to sentencing. Leis is a register member of the Six Nations of the Grand River Territory. Her maternal great-grandparents were residential school survivors. As a result, Leis' upbringing was marked by parenting deficiencies and childhood trauma and she was exposed to domestic violence and alcohol abuse at an early age, said Orsini.
"In spite of the background factors... she is an otherwise intelligent, responsible young woman who ought to have known better," Orsini stated.
He went on to discuss the "devastating and lasting impact" her decision to drive drunk had on the community and the four first responders seriously hurt in the blast.
"The seriousness of the offenses in this case underscores the need to once again send the message that impaired driving resulting in serious bodily harm will continue to attract significant sentences as a means of deterring other from engaging in such conduct," said Orsini.
Leis' three year prison term is higher than the 18 month to two year sentence sought by her defence lawyer Richard Braiden, but matches the sentence submission from Assistant Crown Attorney Jason Miller.
In addition to the three year prison sentence, Leis is also prohibited from driving for three years upon her release. Orsini did not issue a DNA order and waived the victim surcharge fee due to Leis' financial circumstances.
