What a truly sad story. No matter how the cookie crumbles, lives have been changed forever and there's no going back.
It was a beautiful, sunny, Sunday evening when 22-year-old Emma Czornobaj set out for a drive along a busy Quebec highway. All was normal until she spotted a family of ducks - mom, dad and babies - attempting to cross. Instincts must have kicked in and likely without thinking, she braked, no doubt abruptly. She also reportedly hopped out of her car to help make sure the ducks got across safely. What she didn't see was the family on motor bikes behind her. A mom, a dad and a 16-year-old daughter who was on her fathers bike. They didn't stop in time and struck Czornobaj's car. Tragically, the dad and daughter did not survive.
It's four years later and Czornobaj is in court. She's on trial for criminal negligence and two counts of dangerous driving causing death. It's now up to the courts and a jury to decide "when a particular driver's conduct crosses that blurry line between that which is merely thoughtless, distracted or inept and behaviour that is wilfully reckless and subject to criminal prosecution."
At this point I have to admit, I have been in Czornobaj's shoes and I've done the exact same thing - once for a family of ducks and once for a family of raccoons. I brake for robins on the street and can't stand the thought of it if I happen to hit a gopher on the highway. I can see, especially reading this story, how my actions could be dangerous, but would I do the same in the future? Likely.
As tragic as the events are that unfolded, Czornobaj is not a cold hearted killer. She's going to live with the remorse of the events that transpired for the rest of her life. My heart goes out to her as I see the pain in her eyes in the news photos. Will jail time really make a difference? I think not.
Understandably the victim's family was devastated by what happened. Anyone would be. I would be. But even so, they don't believe jail time is the answer.
"She saw them die, both of them," the lone survivor says. "You can punish her until she is 60 years old, but it won't bring my family back."
And that is true. I don't know what the answer is here. Maybe it's a wake up call to be alert and cautious at all times when behind the wheel. There are no right answers. I feel for all involved and hope no jury ever has to hear a case like this again.
