A drunk driver who struck and killed a female cyclist on Prince Edward Island has been sentenced to six years in prison.
Clarence Arnold Moase, 49, pleaded guilty to impaired driving in the death of Elizabeth Sovis, 63, of Edmonton.
The Alberta woman was vacationing on the Island this past summer with her husband.
The pair were riding their bicycles along Rennies Road in Hunter River on July 14 when Sovis was struck by a van.
The impact caused Sovis to be thrown from her bike. She died in her husband’s arms at the scene.
Police say Sovis wore a reflective vest and was following the rules of the road when she was struck.
Initially, Moase left the crash site but he returned shortly after.
He was arrested at the scene and underwent a breathalyzer test.
“It’s normal to be angry about something like this, but I’m not sure that it does any good,” said Edmund Aunger, the victim’s husband.
“He has a life and he has friends and he has a family. Surely the best outcome, I mean, we can’t bring Elizabeth back, but surely the best outcome would be that he could do good in the future.”
Aunger also called Moase a scapegoat, saying the province of P.E.I. needs to be held responsible.
Moase has four previous impaired driving convictions as well as an alcohol addiction.
While he was sentenced to six months in prison, he was given credit for time served. As a result, he will serve about five years and five months in total.
He has also been banned from driving for life.
