Judge grants bail to man convicted of impaired driving causing death on Hwy 12 in 2020
Warning: Content in this article may be distressing for readers.
Sigfrid Stahn walked out of the Barrie courthouse Friday a remorseful man one day after a jury found him guilty of impaired driving, causing a collision on Highway 12 in July 2020 that killed a 77-year-old Midland man.
"I'm sorry it turned out this way. But there's nothing I can do about it now," Stahn said.
Justice Michael McKelvey gave the 71-year-old Georgian Bay Township man a reprieve, ordering him to remain on bail for now.
Stahn claims to have no memory of what happened nearly three years ago when he crashed his pickup truck head-on into Guenter Naumann's convertible Mercedes, saying he learned the details during the two-week trial.
"I had to find out what actually happened. I had no recollection," he said.
- Download the CTV News app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates sent to your email inbox
A pickup truck and convertible car are pictured after a deadly head-on collision on Highway 12 in Waubaushene, Ont., on July 4, 2020. (Source: OPP/Court Exhibit)
Witnesses testified Stahn's pickup truck was swerving in and out of traffic in Waubaushene before slamming into the victim's car, sending it airborne.
One officer told the jury of seven men and five women Naumann had little to no time to react to Stahn's oncoming truck as it came around a curve.
The Crown said Stahn chose to drive drunk and caused the "senseless head-on collision."
Naumann's widow sat in the courtroom daily, hoping for justice for her husband of 28 years.
"He'd be proud that I was here for him," said Rejeanne Lachapelle on Thursday following the verdict. "I'll always miss him."
Guenter Naumann, 77, is pictured in this undated photo. (Source: Legacy.com)
The Crown said it would seek a lengthy sentence behind bars for Stahn, citing his previous impaired driving conviction 38 years ago, along with a failure to remain at the scene of a crash in his 20s and a careless driving conviction in 2005.
Stahn surrendered his driver's licence following the guilty verdict and is banned from driving as he gets his affairs in order at home before going into custody.
He will remain out on bail until at least his sentencing hearing on May 31.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.
BREAKING Ottawa public school board, 3 Toronto-area school boards launch lawsuit against social media giants
The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board and three school boards in the Toronto-area have launched legal action against social media giants, accusing them of "disrupting students' fundamental right to education."
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 mm among weather alerts in effect for 7 provinces
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 millimetres, air quality advisories and other alerts have been issued for seven Canadian provinces, according to the latest forecasts.
Tipping is off the table at this Toronto restaurant
A Toronto restaurant introduced a surprising new rule that reduced the cost of a meal and raised the salaries of staff.
A Nigerian woman reviewed some tomato puree online. Now she faces jail
A Nigerian woman who wrote an online review of a can of tomato puree is facing imprisonment after its manufacturer accused her of making a “malicious allegation” that damaged its business.
Donald Trump assails judge and his daughter after gag order in N.Y. hush-money criminal case
Donald Trump lashed out Wednesday at the New York judge who put him under a gag order that bars him from commenting publicly about witnesses, prosecutors, court staff and jurors in his upcoming hush-money criminal trial.
A fight to protect the dignity of Michelangelo's David raises questions about freedom of expression
Michelangelo's David has been a towering figure in Italian culture since its completion in 1504. But in the current era of the quick buck, curators worry the marble statue's religious and political significance is being diminished.
Doctors visiting a Gaza hospital are stunned by the war's toll on Palestinian children
An international team of doctors visiting a hospital in central Gaza was prepared for the worst. But the gruesome impact Israel’s war against Hamas is having on Palestinian children still left them stunned.
China's latest EV is a 'connected' car from smart phone and electronics maker Xiaomi
Xiaomi, a well-known maker of smart consumer electronics in China, is joining the country's booming but crowded market for electric cars.