Belinda Hainsworth is expected to be sentenced in the coming months after pleading guilty to being under the influence of drugs during a fatal crash west of Whiskey Creek in March 2019. (File photo/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Jordan Davidson

guilty pleas

Impaired driver pleads guilty to mid-Island crash which killed former Mountie

Sep 11, 2024 | 4:09 PM

QUALICUM BEACH — A woman admitted to being under the influence of methamphetamine while she veered into oncoming lanes leading to the death of a man near Whiskey Creek.

Belinda Mary Hainsworth pleaded guilty to one charge of impaired driving causing death and impaired driving causing bodily harm, in relation to a multi-vehicle collision in 2019 where a 74-year-old man was killed.

In BC Supreme Court in Nanaimo on Tuesday, Sept. 10 justice Robin Baird read the charges to a distraught Hainsworth, who attended the session through a video link while in custody.

“You did operate a conveyance, and thereby did cause the death of Gareth Rees, having a blood, drug concentration that was equal to or exceeded the blood drug concentration for methamphetamine prescribed by a regulation.”

On March 22, 2019, Hainsworth was driving an eastbound vehicle near Koen Rd. east of Cameron Lake when she crossed the centre line and rammed a truck travelling in the westbound fast lane, causing the truck to flip.

Storied Career

Former Clipper Matt Irwin retires after 13 year NHL career

1h ago

case dismissed

Berry farmers fail to dim Nanaimo Airport lighting expansion

5h ago

it's official

New Nanaimo & Oceanside MLA's officially sworn in

18h ago

The driver of the truck, Gareth Rees, died before emergency crews arrived.

A passenger in Rees’ truck was injured, while a passenger of Hainsworth was also wounded.

Rees was a retired RCMP officer serving nearly three decades of service in Saskatchewan.

Hainsworth was emotional during the majority of the proceedings, speaking only to plead guilty to both charges and that she understood the consequences of admitting guilt.

In addition to the impaired driving causing death charge, Hainsworth was also charged with two counts of impaired driving causing harm, however the latter of the charges was consolidated into a single count.

Hainsworth made an application in August to have a search warrant related to the incident thrown out, which was swiftly denied by justice Baird.

Two paramedics who treated Hainsworth on scene formed the joint belief that she was “grossly impaired by drugs.”

While reported to be in a disoriented state with slurred speech, Hainsworth disclosed at the time she took a 150-milligram daily dose of morphine.

A pre-sentence report will be compiled before Hainsworth returns to court in October to fix a date for sentencing.

Sentencing arguments between the Crown’s Basil McCormick and defence attorney Bobby Movassaghi are anticipated for justice Baird’s consideration.

Belinda Hainsworth will be sentenced later this year after pleading guilty to charges of impaired driving causing death and impaired driving causing bodily harm. (Facebook)

Join the conversation. Submit your letter to NanaimoNewsNOW and be included on The Water Cooler, our letters to the editor feature.

jordan@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @JordanDHeyNOW