Victim impact statements 'terribly touching,' father of woman killed by drunk driver says

More than two dozen victim impact statements were read in a Winnipeg courtroom Friday by friends and family of a 24-year-old killed by an impaired driver in 2022.

Friends of Jordyn Reimer said she lit up the room with happiness and laughter and now there's a hole everywhere they go; family members spoke about her life being cut short by a senseless tragedy; and hockey teammates said they've been in a constant state of pain since her death.

Many who read victim impact statements needed to stop and take a deep breath as they pushed on through tears.

"Some of the people's victim impact statements, from the community, it's been terribly touching, means so so much to all of us," said Jordyn's father, Doug. "There's moments, there's a few words said by people that inside I was smiling, outside I was crying."

Reimerwas killed in the early morning hours of May 1, 2022, in a two-vehicle collision in Winnipeg's Transcona neighbourhood.

Tyler Scott Goodman, who was just days shy of turning 29 at the time of the collision, pleaded guilty this past May to charges of impaired driving causing death and failing to stop at the scene.

The Crown is seeking a six-year sentence to charges of impaired driving causing death, while the defence is asking for 4 years. Both sides agree he should serve another consecutive year for leaving the scene.

But outside court Friday,Reimer's family said that's not enough.

"It's extremely upsetting and disappointing to think that we're looking at the Crown wanting six years and the defence wanting 4 years for the life of our Jordyn," said Reimer's mother, Karen.

The Crown is also seeking a six-month conditional sentence for Goodman's mother, Laurie Lynn Goodman, who pleaded guilty to one charge of obstruction of justice for giving misleading information to police after the crash.

Both will be sentenced Nov. 22.

Apology had 'hollow words':father

Goodman also addressed the Reimer family in court Friday and said he was sorry. He said he was devastatedhe made the decision to drive that night and that he'll never fully recover mentally or emotionally.

"Thoughts of that night are with me in every waking hour," he said.

"It will carry a lifetime impact on me."

Reimer's family said hearing that apology, more than a year after their daughter was killed, was too late.

"Those are hollow words, they mean nothing to me," said Doug Reimer, Jordyn's father. "There'll never be any forgiveness, I don't believe there is any true remorse, his actions that night show that."

The court received more than 100 victim impact statements from people affected by Reimer's death,70 of whom asked to read them out loud in court. Karen said only about 39 or 40 people ended up being able to do so.

However, Judge Kael McKenzie said he'll read every single one.

"To be told by the courts that we have limited time and every statement will be read the same even if they're read behind doors with the judge, well, there's a lot of other victims, friends of Jordyn's, family of Jordyn's that didn't get up there to read their statements, to me that's not fair," said Karen.

Family of woman killed by drunk driver speaks outside court

11 months ago

Duration 2:30

After hearing two dozen victim impact statements read in court Friday, the family of Jordyn Reimer, who was killed by a drunk driver in 2022, spoke about the coming sentencing of Tyler Goodman, as well as the apology he offered the famiiy.