A B.C. Supreme Court justice in Cranbrook has aired on the low end of the sentencing range for a 23-year-old woman who pled guilty to impaired driving causing death, weighing the extent of the tragedy against Indigenous-specific considerations and the convicted person’s hope for rehabilitation.
Twenty-five-year-olds Brady Tardif and Jackson Freeman, and 21-year-old Gavin Murray lost their lives as a result of the offence. The crash happened on July 9, 2024, near Wilmer, B.C., a small semi-rural community just a few minutes south of Invermere.
In a decision released on Jan. 30, 2026, B.C. Supreme Court Justice Lindsay Lyster sentenced Haley Watson to two years in prison less a day, followed by a three-year probation period, a three-year driving prohibition and 240 hours of community work.
Watson is a member of the Lower Nicola Indian Band on her paternal side, according to court documents. In handing down her decision, Lyster said that Watson is “very young and has excellent rehabilitation prospects” and “enjoys the benefit of strong support from her mother and others in the community.”
Judge Lyster considered several mitigating factors in determining Watson’s sentence. Watson had no criminal record prior to the crash, she was a youthful offender, she pled guilty at her first available opportunity and she is sincerely remorseful, according to court documents.
The Gladue factors present in her life also played a role in somewhat reducing her moral blameworthiness, stated Lyster. Gladue Principles were established by the Supreme Court of Canada. They legally require judges to consider the unique history, circumstances and challenges of Indigenous people that come before the court.
“She suffers from the intergenerational effects of her grandmother’s forced attendance at residential school, including an absentee father who has struggled all his life with substance use, racism in school, disconnection from her Indigenous heritage and community, and her own substance use disorder,” wrote Lyster.
Watson’s two years less a day sentence ensures she will serve her time in a provincial correctional facility rather than a federal prison, according to BC Prosecution Service.
Crown sought a term of imprisonment of five years and an eight-year driving prohibition, while the defense was requesting a conditional sentence of two years less a day, to be followed by three years of probation, according to court documents.
In a Statement of Admission signed by Watson, analysis showed that her blood-alcohol concentration at the time of driving was 168 per cent, more than twice the legal limit. Watson, who was 21 at the time of the accident, could not legally drive if her blood alcohol concentration was over zero. She was also found to be travelling over double the speed limit while approaching a bend in the road that had a suggested speed reduction of 50 kilometres per hour.
Steve Sullivan, CEO of MADD Canada (Mothers Against Drunk Driving), said they were a little surprised by the sentencing. For a person with no prior criminal convictions, MADD sentencing guidelines for impaired driving causing death is three to four years jail and a lifetime driving ban, or a permanent alcohol ignition lock three years after release from prison.
“It’s certainly on the low end of the scale,” said Sullivan. “Our deepest condolences and thoughts are with everybody impacted. Sentencing is one of the hardest parts of our criminal justice system for victims and survivors because the expectation is that is going to reflect the harm that has been caused - and what number could ever reflect the loss of three young men’s lives?”
“There is no magic number. It’s always going to be a subjective element,” Sullivan continued.
“Even with those mitigating factors, I think it’s still on the low-end. Many families who we work with will often say, ‘That sentence wasn’t enough.’ And in the next breath, they’ll say, ‘But no number would have made a difference.’ It’s a very emotional process for families and they are just often let down,” he said.
‘Wake-up call for us’
Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation (TFN) Justice Manager Curtis Joseph (Tayiisimčił) said that the impaired operation of vehicles and vessels is an ongoing and high concern in their community, which is located roughly 15 minutes from Tofino.
In effort to prevent similar incidents from happening, Joseph says the nation worked collaboratively with the Tofino RCMP to create an action plan that includes more patrols, especially in the summer months.
“Hearing this is a wake-up call for us in our community. We need to be diligent because it can happen on reserve. This is a stark reminder of why we have these agreements in place to better protect our community,” said Joseph.
He said he was also surprised at the two years less a day sentence Watson received for a triple-fatal drunk driving crash.
“Considering how many people were involved, I figured there would be more harsh repercussions. I would have imagined it would have been a lot more. I’ve seen people go away for a lot longer for less,” said Joseph.
He reminded community members that they can reach out to the rideshare page, and he celebrated the launch of the West Coast Transit system.
“The transportation system between Tofino and Ucluelet has helped a lot. We used to see a lot of people hitchhiking that now take the bus,” he said.
Youth are amongst the highest risk groups when it comes to alcohol-related crashes, according to MADD Canada.
“Hopefully, as tragic as this situation is, it is a reminder to all of us that there are different choices we need to make, and one wrong decision can cause so much harm and tragedy in people’s lives,” said Sullivan.
The court received 26 victim impact statements from the family members and friends of the deceased. Judge Lyster said that the statements “reflect the fact that Brady, Jackson and Gavin’s deaths have touched so many, not just their friends and immediate families, but the whole community.”
“To the loved ones of Brady, Jackson and Gavin, I know that no words I can say, nor any sentence this court can impose on Ms. Watson, will assuage your grief. Your young men are gone, far too soon,” said Lyster.
