Judge rules ‘colonialism’ caused First Nations man to become deadly drunk driver

Advertisement 1 This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Breadcrumb Trail Links HomeNP Comment Judge rules 'colonialism' caused First Nations man to become deadly drunk driver Prison time would obstruct efforts by deadly drunk driver to 'regain his culture,' according to Ontario Justice Gethin Edward Author of the article: By Tristin Hopper Published Sep 14, 2026 Last updated 3 minutes ago 3 minute read Join the conversation Darris Wilson, who crashed head-on into another vehicle in 2022, killing 12-year-old girl, was sentenced last week to two years of house arrest. PHOTO BY BRIANAJACKSON /Getty Images/iStockphoto Article content An Ontario judge has ruled that “colonialism” was primarily to blame in a deadly drunk driving crash that saw a First Nations man kill a 12-year-old girl. Article content According to police reports, Darris Wilson’s Dodge Ram pickup truck was strewn with empty and partially consumed cans of beer when, in 2022, it slammed head-on into a vehicle carrying a mother and daughter en route to a sleepover. Article content Article content Article content Sierra Beverly, 12, was killed at the scene. Her mother, Naomi, suffered debilitating brain injuries for which she still requires 24-hour care. Article content Channel Israel Columnist Jesse Kline keeps you up to date with what’s happening in Israel and the effects of antisemitism on life here in Canada. Friday mornings. Sign Up By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Article content The crash occurred at 4:24 p.m. on a Friday afternoon, and investigators would determine that Harris seems to have made no attempt to brake before slamming into the Mitsubishi sub-compact carrying the two Beverlys. He was also driving at about 90 km/h in a 50 km/h zone. Article content But in a sentencing decision released last week, Ontario Justice Gethin Edward predominantly focused on how Canada’s “colonial past” had turned Harris into a drunk driver. Article content Wilson, he ruled, was suffering from cultural “disconnection” as a result of colonization, which “crystallized into the tragic events of Feb. 11, 2022.” Article content Wilson was convicted of dangerous driving causing death and bodily harm, a crime which can carry a maximum jail term of 14 years. Article content Instead, as per a report in the Brantford Expositor, Edward handed down a sentence of…