A social media outcry from the communities where Angele Gauthier lived and worked began seconds after the Lac La Biche POST newspaper printed the update on her killer's recent jail sentence.
When it was reported that 22-year-old Isaac Rempel from Two Hills had been jailed for 15 months and given three-years probation for his part in the crash that took Gauthier's life in September of 2010, the newspaper's facebook site erupted with comments. "Reprehensible," "A Joke" "The judge should go to jail..." were some of the 40 responses coming in the first 15 minutes The comments quickly turned onto the justice system and the apparent slap on the wrist given to the man for taking the 53-year-old's life.
Over the last three years, Rempel has missed court appearances and been the subject of one province-wide arrest warrant.
And while the sentence — coming more than three years after the crash in a construction zone just west of Lac La Biche on Hwy 55 near the junction with Highway 663 — has caused some community concern, the delays and turmoil making up the three years has been a frustration to family members. " ... dragging this thing out, missing multiple hearings and just flat out denying responsibility it's hard to feel like justice was served but this is the system we have so it will have to do I guess. He'll serve 10 months max and be on with his life. That is if his lawyer doesn't appeal the sentence in which case we're back to square one," said Gauthier's son-in-law Reuel Thomas.
In the information from RCMP about Rempel's sentence, it was not said what charges he plead guilty to. When he was arrested, Rempel was charged with dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing death. The charge carries a maximum 14-year sentence, there is no minimum sentence.
