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Parole denied for lawyer convicted of impaired driving in teen's 2018 death

Edmonton -

An Edmonton lawyer serving a 3 1/2 year prison sentence after fatally hitting a teen while he was driving drunk has been denied parole. 

Shane Stevenson was seeking both day and full parole after he was sentenced last October for dangerous driving causing death. 

The parole board panel noted Stevenson had "made some gains" over the past months but denied his application.

"You do still have some outstanding risk factors," the board noted. "At this time, your risk is assessed as unmanageable." 

Stevenson struck and killed Chloe Wiwchar, a 16-year-old Grade 11 student, while he was driving his truck along Kingsway near Tower Road on April 15, 2018.

An off-duty police officer witnessed the collision, called 911 and followed Stevenson's truck to a nearby alley where he was later arrested. 

He pleaded guilty in October 2020 when court heard that his blood alcohol content at the time of the crash was nearly double the legal limit.

Wiwchar's mother, Holly Lucier, presented a victim impact statement before the parole board calling for tougher impaired driving laws.

"Sentencing does not match the seriousness of the crime," she said. "I will never return to a place where I'll see my child's face or kiss her forehead."

According to the Parole Board of Canada, most offenders are eligible for full parole at whatever is less: one-third of their sentence or seven years. 

Most offenders are eligible for day parole six months before the full parole eligibility date. 

By law, offenders have a parole review within six months of their eligibility date.

Parole boards consider the nature of the offence as well as prior criminal history, behaviour in the institution, victim impact statements and community release plan in making their decisions.

Stevenson has two months to appeal Thursday's decision.

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