The man behind the wheel in a hit-and-run that claimed the life of a 19-year-old in Burnaby three years ago won’t spend any time behind bars.
Brandon Glen Lowe pleaded guilty to failing to stop at the scene of a fatal collision and attempting to obstruct justice for trying to have his friend change the appearance of his car after the March 2021 crash that killed Damien Seguin.
At the time, Mounties said there appeared to have been a confrontation between three vehicles, during which someone set off pepper spray.
Seguin was believed to have been in one of the vehicles, but exited when the spray was discharged, and was subsequently struck. He later died in hospital.
At a Thursday sentencing hearing, prosecutors laid out a series of aggravating factors in the case, including that he fled the scene, was driving contrary to restrictions on his licence, and the significant police investigation needed to track him down.
His defence noted his young age — Lowe was 19 at the time of the crash — his lack of a criminal record, and the fact that he ultimately pleaded guilty.
The Crown and defence presented a joint submission, seeking a conditional sentence of two years less a day to be served in the community, a one-year driving ban and a DNA order, which the judge accepted.
In handing down the sentence, the judge noted Lowe will have to live with his victim’s family’s pain for the rest of his life.
Speaking outside the B.C. Provincial Court in Vancouver, Seguin’s aunt and co-guardian Michelle Koo said Lowe had never apologized for his actions.
“He’s basically getting a slap on the wrist. Saying, ‘Here, we’re taking your licence for however long and you get to go to the gym and have a life still, but oh you have to be home for bedtime,’” she said.
“He will never understand. Maybe the day he has kids and he loses a child he may understand a little part of it, but until that day he won’t understand.”
Seguin’s cousin Sofia Santana said the victim had been like a brother to her.
“After all of this has happened I have been waiting, expecting to see more of a sentence for him. And just sitting in the courtroom, hearing that he is just under house arrest and got his car taken away for a little bit?” she said.
“I don’t understand how it works.”
Lowe declined to comment outside the court.
The conditional sentence includes house arrest until the end of May 2025, followed by a 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew until Jan. 31, 2026.
Lowe must also complete 40 hours of community service.