A British Columbia man has been fined $2,000 for a traffic violation that caused a head-on collision and killed a motorcyclist in September near Spruce View.
Cody Donald McMillan, 30, pleaded guilty to driving left of centre in Red Deer provincial court on Friday before Judge John Holmes.
Motorcyclist Brian John Woolston, 44, of Spruce View, died upon impact.
Woolston was born in England and moved to Canada in 1998 with his wife Zoe.
He was a motorcycle instructor for many years.
Crown prosecutor Jason Snider told the court that the collision occurred when McMillan was driving his truck westbound while pulling a camper west of Spruce View on Hwy 54 on Sept. 13 at about 10 a.m.
The transportation of farm equipment was slowing traffic, causing a lineup of vehicles in the westbound lane.
McMillan braked heavily to avoid the vehicle in front of him and his truck entered the eastbound lane, where Woolston was struck.
Defence lawyer Will Willms said there was little shoulder on the right side of the road and his client acknowledged his actions caused his truck to move into the other lane.
“He could not react with sufficient time,” Willms said.
He said alcohol, road and environment conditions, nor driving while sleepy were factors in the tragic event.
Innisfail RCMP said earlier that speed was not involved. Both the motorcycle and truck were destroyed in the collision.
When McMillan was asked if he had anything to say during the proceedings on Friday, he turned to the courtroom to tell Woolston’s family he was sorry.
Holmes said it was a traffic offence so it must be punished as a traffic offence rather than a criminal offence.
McMillan did not have an Alberta driver’s licence so a driving suspension could not be imposed by the court.
A $2,000 fine was the maximum fine allowed.