Patricia Mary Every-Clayton crashes her expensive car into a hydro pole, blows twice the legal alcohol limit

Source: Comox Valley Echo

BRITISH COLUMBIA - A 34-year-old woman who crashed her BMW into a power pole in Comox while impaired by alcohol has been assessed the minimum penalty.

Patricia Mary Every-Clayton was found next to her car, which was resting on a stone fence, on Sept. 27.

"The vehicle had struck a power pole, shearing it at the base," said Crown prosecutor Meneka Giri. "The wires were lying across the road."

A witness told Comox Valley RCMP that the vehicle had passed by at a high rate of speed. The witness subsequently heard a screech and then the crash.

Giri described Every-Clayton as "incoherent" when police arrived. She blew a fail on a roadside screening device and then blew .190 and .170, more than twice the legal limit, on a Breathalyzer device.

Every-Clayton, described by defence lawyer Robert Yeo as an independent businessperson who has lived in the Valley for nine years, has no prior record.

Yeo noted that she has already suffered significant civil consequences due to the crash, including having to write off her $30,000 vehicle. She also faces a property damage claim.

Yeo noted that Every-Clayton began seeing a counsellor within days of the incident.

"Obviously Sept. 27 was a bad day for you," said Judge Brian Saunderson. "You seem to have done all the right things after this. Presumably that will continue."

Saunderson agreed to waive the victim impact surcharge due to the civil consequences faced by Every-Clayton.

He imposed a $1,000 fine and 12-month driving prohibition.