Man who left 18-year-old girl dead in drug-induced vehicle theft gets more than 5 years

By Peggy Revell on June 7, 2018.

A man whose meth-fueled theft of a truck and dangerous driving which led to the death of 18-year-old Cerys Passmore was sentenced Wednesday to five years and nine months in prison.

“No sentence the court imposes will bring back Ms. Passmore,” said Judge Ted Fisher, reading his decision for 25-year-old Cody David Michell. “It will not fill the void the family feels.”

Fourteen months credit were granted toward the sentence for time served.

The Crown had asked for a sentence of eight to 10 years, while defence counsel requested 33 months.

“I understand his judgement,” chief Crown prosecutor Ramona Robins told the News. “But the fact is there’s no number that is going to give Cerys Passmore back.

“It’s still a sad day, whatever the number.”

Robins said she had the privilege of reading into court the victim impact statements of some of Passmore’s family —and her focus Wednesday was on Passmore.

“To tell the story of an impressive girl, who would have gone on to do great things … Such a beautiful light.”

Michell pled guilty last fall to stealing a pickup truck on Sept. 11 and fleeing at a high rate of speed, resulting in collisions at the intersection of 12th StreetNE and Division Avenue. He continued down 12th Street at an extreme speed, until colliding with the vehicle Passmore was driving at Parkview Drive. Passmore was pronounced dead at the scene.

At the hospital, Michell attempted to pull an officer’s pistol from the holster but was prevented from doing so.

“It’s just lucky more people were not injured or killed,” said Fisher, as Michell’s driving patterns weren’t a “one-off.”

Fisher said multiple reports put together for consideration during sentencing have Michell exaggerating, being incorrect and dishonest — and putting the blame for what happened on police for not hospitalizing him the night before.

Michell took meth, despite knowing it made him lose his inhibitions and hallucinate, Fisher said.

Fisher’s initial calculation for sentencing was seven years and three months, but he reduced this due to Gladue factors and Michell’s disability, as he has permanent brain damage and was assessed of having an IQ ranging from 57 to 67.

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