By Ryan Pilon

Federal prison for drunk driver

Jan 6, 2011 | 4:05 PM

The man who caused a fatal accident in La Ronge by driving under the influence received his sentence.

30-year-old Wilbert Mercredi will spend the next 27 months in a federal penitentiary. When he's released, he'll have a two-year driving prohibition and a 10-year firearm prohibition.

Justice R.D. Maher said there were several factors which lead to his decision, including that Mercredi has shown no remorse for what he has done, instead blaming the victim, 47-year-old Larry Urquhart by saying that he had been drinking as well.

Wilbert's father, Gilbert Mercredi, said that's not true.

“My son is in remorse. I don’t believe in that [what the judge said]. There’s times he sits outside on the balcony at my place, he’s just crying. He told me himself he cries because he feels sorry for that family,” said Gilbert.

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However, Gilbert does believe there should be equal blame in the accident.

“The guy driving the car [Urquhart] was just as at fault as he [Wilbert] was,” said Gilbert.

Maher says another factor was that Wilbert chose to drive under the influence, even though he was told by someone else not to do so.

Police testified that Wilbert’s blood alcohol level was at .16 two hours after the crash, which is twice the legal limit.

rpilon@panow.com