An Oro-Medonte man has been found guilty of impaired driving causing the death of his friend.

Noah Poisson, who was 19 at the time of the crash, drove his truck off the road in Hawkestone in August 2016, killing 19-year-old Parker Pautsch.

     

            Noah Poisson                                                                    Parker Pautsch

The Crown said that on the night of August 15, 2016 Poisson was driving with nearly twice the legal limit of alcohol in his blood when the truck somehow went off the road.

According to police, the truck became airborne, tumbled down a ditch, crossed over a creek and rolled several times before coming to a stop in a field off of Oro-Medonte Line 13. 

 (Court exhibit: Tracy Mclaughlin)

The court also heard Pautsch was not wearing a seatbelt and was ejected from the vehicle.  The truck landed on top of him, killing him instantly.  Poisson, who was wearing a seatbelt, was taken to hospital with minor injuries.

Witnesses testified that Poisson was agitated and in a panicked state.  One witness said he was calling out and desperately looking for his friend in the darkness.

He is scheduled to be sentenced on May 16.

- With files from Tracy Mclaughlin