Hit and run driver back in court

Matthew Hendsbee, the St. Catharines man who seven years ago struck and killed 23-year old Jessica Cormier and fled the scene was back in court today for driving while prohibited a second time. 30-year old Hendsbee was thrown back behind bars in April for being on a cell phone while driving. He was on his way to Niagara Falls to score some heroin from his dealer.

Matthew Hendsbee was caught April first talking on a cell phone while driving over the Garden City Skyway. He was prohibited from driving at all.

V.J. Singh is Hendsbee’s lawyer: “It’s been discovered he has a significant drug addiction. And all of these things tie into that tragedy in his past.”

That tragedy is the hit and run crash that killed 23-year old Jessica Cormier back in April 2007. Cormier was walking along the Niagara Street overpass sidewalk in St. Catharines when Hendsbee’s car jumped the curb and struck the young woman. She was hurled over the railing to her death. He fled the scene.

Matthew Hendsbee was sentenced to three and a half years for killing Jessica Cormier. In that same incident he was driving without a licence, insurance, registered plates and was on probation for an assault conviction.”

Since his recent arrest, Hendsbee has spent 150 days in jail. His lawyer V.J. Singh says five months is enough: “Because at the end of the day, he was driving a car. He co-operated with police. Clearly he shouldn’t have been driving. He’s trying to ensure there’s no repeat of this type of conduct.”

But there are many people who believe given his record, Hendsbee should be spending much more time in jail.

V.J. Singh: “But if they were here every day, they would see how heroin and other drugs really ravage people and take over their lives.”

Hendsbee’s trying to get into a drug treatment program. If he can’t, there’s no guarantee the judge will agree to a conditional sentence. Matthew Hendsbee will be back in court September 10th.