A Belleville man has been sentenced to 14 years in jail for causing the head-on collision that killed an 88-year-old woman in Napanee in 2018.
Earlier this month, Andrew Michael Slapkauskas, also known as Mike, pleaded guilty to manslaughter and flight from police in connection with the 2018 crash that killed 88-year-old Florence Wyatt-Morris of Napanee.
Slapkauskas, who has a criminal history, has had drug abuse issues for many years and had methamphetamine and amphetamine in his system at the time of the collision.
On March 6, 2018, Slapkauskas failed to stop for OPP in Napanee and led police on a chase where he drove his SUV wildly on County Road 2, eventually colliding head on with Wyatt-Morris’ vehicle.
She was pronounced dead at the scene.
Friday in Napanee court, Justice Brian Abrams sentenced Slapkauskas, who was 42 at the time of the crash, to nine years for manslaughter and and five years for flight from police to be served consecutively.
With pre-sentence custody factored in, Slapkauskas will serve approximately nine more years in prison.
During today’s sentencing, Justice Abrams said, “The offender drove recklessly but skillfully when he had to evade the police, over a prolonged period of distance and time.”
He added that evidence shows “that the offender aimed his vehicle at the victim’s car and struck it with maximum force, never having applied his brakes or reduced his speed.”
The sentencing was held virtually due to COVID-19 protocols.
