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Convicted impaired driver who killed friend in crash granted full parole

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BARRIE, ONT. -

Convicted drunk driver Andrew Fallows has been granted full parole.

Found guilty by a jury of his peers in 2017 of impaired driving causing death and criminal negligence causing death, Fallows was granted day-parole a year ago.

The family of his victim, Shania Slater, cannot believe the man responsible for her death in the horrific 2014 crash north of Barrie has been set free.

At the time of Fallows’ sentencing in Barrie, Justice John McCarthy handed down one of the harshest decisions in Canadian history, calling Fallows’ conduct the night of the crash “senseless, selfish, reckless, negligent, and criminal.”

Under the terms of his parole, Fallows, now 32, must continue to refrain from consuming alcohol and drugs and stay away from establishments where alcohol is served or sold.

He is also barred from contacting the victim’s family and friends.

In its decision, the board told Fallows, “Given that you have had good institutional behaviour, completed substance abuse treatment, have been in the community since May 2020 with no issues, and have a plan for full parole that addresses your risks of reoffending, the Board finds your risk is manageable on full parole.”

Fallows was ordered to perform counselling for substance abuse and was deemed a low risk to reoffend.

At the time of the crash, Fallows was unlicensed to drive with no insurance following a previous conviction for impaired driving.

Shania Slater was 18 when she died and was a passenger in Fallows’ pickup truck at the time of the crash.

The Barrie court heard testimony that Fallows, who suffered minor injuries in the crash, attempted to move Slater’s prone body toward the driver seat to make it appear as if she was behind the wheel.

Fallows had been driving on the highway, with Slater, following a night of partying with friends, which included Slater’s boyfriend, Tom Newman.

In court, Newman testified Fallows was driving Shania home for some reason that followed an argument at a friend’s home, which involved heavy drinking and smoking of marijuana.

“We we’re going up the highway, and we’d seen Andy’s truck up on the media, and I told the cabbie to stop because that’s my girlfriend in the truck and my friend,” said Newman.

Fallows was sentenced to nine years behind bars and prohibited from driving for another 12 years following his release.

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