Supporters prepare for gut-wrenching trial in death of beloved Gabriola Island man

It’s unclear when the trial, to be heard by judge alone, will begin.

Julia Jefferson was one of roughly 20 supporters of Dearman in the provincial court gallery on Tuesday.

Jefferson and Dearman were part of a running club who met regularly and vacationed together.

“He’s so badly missed,” Jefferson told NanaimoNewsNOW outside court. “There’s a void, we all see it there’s a hole right now and it’s taking a long time to heal.”

Jefferson said Dearman was a huge benefit to the tight-knit Gabriola community. She said Dearman responded to the most calls for help in 2017 on behalf of the Gabriola Volunteer Fire Dept.

She said those calls included multiple overnight tasks.

“He was usually the first on scene if he could. Every time we would have a dinner party and a call would go off he was the first out the door.”

Dearman was married and had two daugthers.

Gabriola RCMP alleged Goosman drove a vehicle across both lanes of Berry Point Rd. and hit Dearman, who was among a group of joggers near Twin Beaches Mall.

The maximum penalty for dangerous driving causing death under the Criminal Code of Canada is 14 years in prison.

ian@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @reporterholmes

by Ian Holmes

Supporters prepare for gut-wrenching trial in death of beloved Gabriola Island man

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