Father of Saskatoon crash victim Sarah Wensley still seeking justice, accountability

Dave Wensley is going to court today hoping for justice.

He's skeptical that he'll find it.

Wensley's daughter Sarah and her classmate J.P. Haughey were killed a year ago when a stolen truck broadsided their car when they were on their way to a track practice. Another passenger was seriously injured but survived.

Since then, Dave Wensley has grown increasingly dismayed by how the justice system has dealt with the two women in the stolen truck. Both pleaded guilty to charges connected with the fatal crash.

Today, the driver Cheyann Peeteetuce is at Court of Queen's Bench for the start of sentencing arguments.

Accountability

In January, the youth travelling with Peeteetuce pleaded guilty to encouraging her not to stop after a police officer turned on his emergency lights. At that court appearance, she also pleaded guilty to joyriding, resisting arrest and being in a stolen car a month before the crash.

Getting an apology read from her lawyer, that supposedly she gave her lawyer, that doesn't mean nothing.- Dave Wensley

​Wensley was at her sentencing and left angry and dissatisfied that the teen never even spoke in court.

"Getting an apology read from her lawyer, that supposedly she gave her lawyer, that doesn't mean nothing," he said in an interview.

Two-tiered justice system?

Wensley is also frustrated by what he sees as two separate justice systems – one for First Nations, and another for other Canadians.

A Gladue report will be presented at Peeteetuce's hearing today. It will provide the court with a detailed background on her personal circumstances.

"I really feel like Canada has a two-tier justice system. We got one for the First Nations, we got one for Canadians," Wensley said.

"They're treated differently than if I would've done it."

No trial

Wensley is also disappointed that neither case went to trial.

He said that guilty pleas mean that the two women will not have to testify in court and account for their actions.

"For one thing, I think the the girls would've been held accountable, just maybe having to get on the stand and talk about the events, what they did, and why they did it," he said.

The prosecutor is expected to play four minutes of dashcam video recorded by the officer who first gave chase to Peeteetuce.

Wensley hopes this video will answer his questions about how police handled the incident.