Christanne Boufford leaves B.C. Supreme Court in Nanaimo shortly after pleading not guilty on Monday, Jan. 6.  (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Ian Holmes

fatal crash

Nanaimo woman pleads not guilty to impaired driving charges

Jan 7, 2025 | 5:53 AM

NANAIMO — A trial is poised to begin shortly for a woman accused of recklessly driving through a construction zone south of Nanaimo, resulting in the death of a worker and injuring another.

Christanne Marie Boufford, 52, pleaded not guilty to six charges, including impaired driving causing death and impaired driving causing bodily harm in relation to an incident a Sept. 23, 2021 just prior to midnight on the Trans-Canada Hwy. south of the Duke Point Hwy. turnoff.

Boufford is accused of hitting and killing Raymond Ferguson, 69, while driving her white Honda Fit, as well as causing minor injuries to Katherine Toews on the highway’s southbound lanes near Kipp Rd.

Ferguson, an employee of Hub City Paving, was pronounced dead on scene.

The construction zone speed limit was 60 kilometers an hour at the time, with vehicles able to proceed in the left hand lane.

charge laid

Woman charged following death of infant in Ladysmith

16h ago

power out

Impaired driver cuts power to huge area of south Nanaimo after late night crash

18h ago

service delays

Canada Post returns to full service for domestic parcels; letters still delayed

21h ago

A well tended memorial site for Raymond Ferguson remains in place on the Trans Canada Hwy. between Kipp and Minetown Rd.

Boufford rose in the prisoners’ box at B.C. Supreme Court in Nanaimo on Monday, Jan. 6 to enter her pleas.

While her trial was scheduled to start on Monday, her two-man legal team made a charter application with their primary argument being Boufford was not provided timely access to legal counsel.

Legal arguments are expected to continue Tuesday in advance of the trial which is scheduled for three weeks and to be heard by justice Douglas Thompson.

Several on-scene witnesses are scheduled to testify at trial.

Former co-workers and family members of Ferguson were present in court on Monday, with sighs of frustration and tears shed after Boufford replied to the clerk with “not guilty” after each of the six charges were read out individually.

Crown counsel alleges Boufford failed a pair of roadside breathalyzer tests.

Nanaimo RCMP indicated in the immediate aftermath of the crash speed was also a factor.

Paving crews were working on the right-hand slow lane when Ray Ferguson was fatally struck and a colleague was injured by an approaching car. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

We’re on Bluesky! Stay up to date on news across central Vancouver Island through Bluesky, by following @NanaimoNewsNOW.bsky.social.

info@nanaimonewsnow.com

Follow us on: Twitter (X) | Bluesky | Facebook