Drunk driver involved in fatal crash in 2014 released from prison

A man who drove drunk in Regina in 2014 and ended up killing another driver in a crash is being granted his statutory release.

In June 2014, Brian Okemahwasin was driving drunk in Regina on Albert Street. While going nearly twice the speed limit, he hit another car that was stopped at an intersection.

Police later discovered he hadn’t had a driver’s licence for five years, and his blood-alcohol level was 0.299, more than three times the legal limit.

The driver of the other vehicle, Garry Tatham, died at the scene. Okemahwasin was detained by an off-duty police officer who happened to be there.

Okemahwasin pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing death and was sentenced to seven years and seven months in a federal prison, taking into consideration his time in custody pre-sentencing.

According to media reports at the time, the sentencing judge said he considered Okemahwasin’s history and Gladue factors. Okemahwasin was abused at residential school and had since turned to alcohol as a means to self-medicate. He had a history of self-harm and suicide attempts.

But the judge said he had to also consider Okemahwasin’s lengthy criminal history: He had about 200 convictions since 1991 and had served 42 provincial sentences.

According to the release report from the Parole Board of Canada, Okemahwasin had mixed behaviour while serving his sentence. He would have periods of good behaviour and then a setback.

In March 2019 he had a significant period of positive behaviour, but then attacked another inmate while on an escorted temporary absence. The report notes Okemahwasin was struggling with the recent death of his father.

The report also talks about the programming Okemahwasin completed while in prison, including aboriginal basic healing, substance abuse programs, and parenting programs. He also engaged in an aboriginal healing path, worked closely with elders and attended ceremonies and one-on-one sessions.

Okemahwasin had planned to be reviewed for day and full parole in 2017, but waived the review and ultimately didn’t apply for day parole; the report didn’t explain why.

Okemahwasin’s release plan was laid out in the report and includes conditions: He can’t contact the victim’s family, must continue with his treatment, and has to stay away from alcohol and drugs.

Statutory release is a mandatory supervised release for federal offenders who’ve served two-thirds of their sentence.