Cory Sater, the Port Coquitlam man currently serving prison time for killing two women in a drunk driving crash in 2011, is dropping his appeal of his criminal convictions.
But his lawyer, Rishi Gill, said the defence will move forward with its appeal of the 7.5-year sentence imposed by B.C. Supreme Court Justice James Williams following the guilty verdict in early 2014.
“I can confirm the conviction appeal is not going forward,” Gill told The Tri-City News Thursday morning. He did not explain why the defence decided to proceed with one appeal and not the other, saying, “They are two different beasts… Both have different issues behind them.”
Sater, who has already spent close to two years behind bars, launched both appeals in 2014. Gill said at the time that while Sater took responsibility for his actions, he believed the judge was in error in how he applied the law.
The sentence and conviction stem from a collision along Lougheed Highway at Pitt River Road on a cold night in February 2011. Lorraine Cruz and Paulo Calimbahin had been involved in a minor traffic accident when Dan and Charlene Reaveley stopped to assist. Charlene Reaveley was comforting Cruz on the side of the road when both women were struck and killed by a white Jeep driven by Sater. Calimbahin was also injured and lost a leg as a result of the impact. Sater fled but turned himself in to Coquitlam RCMP the next day.
During the trial, the prosecution showed video of Sater at a bar consuming six double rye and Cokes and two Jagerbombs before getting behind the wheel.
He was convicted on six counts, including two counts each of impaired driving and dangerous driving causing death and one count each of impaired driving and dangerous driving causing bodily harm.
ASSAULT TRIAL SET
Trial dates have been scheduled for a Port Coquitlam imam accused of sexual assault at the mosque where he is a spiritual leader.
Saaldeldin Bahr, the leader of the Masjid Al-Hidayah and Islamic Cultural Centre on Kingsway Avenue, was charged in September 2013 after a police investigation was launched earlier that summer.
A trial that was originally scheduled for June 2015 was delayed and has since been rescheduled for May 9 to 20.
@gmckennaTC
