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Singer settlement reached By Darrell Noakes, for the Bicycle News Agency SASKATOON, SK (CANADA), September 11, 1999 – A Regina, Saskatchewan teacher who struck and killed a cyclist two years ago has reached a settlement with her employer. On September 8, the Regina School Division agreed to pay Donna Singer seven months back pay. The board had earlier decided to let her keep her pension. The school board suspended Singer after the June 4, 1997 collision. Donald Jaques died when he was struck by Singer's car while he was riding with his wife and members of the Wascana Freewheelers cycling club. Following the collision, Singer was charged with impaired driving causing death. A breath test showed she had more than twice the legal limit of alcohol in her blood. The test was thrown out of court because of mistakes made by the police. Singer was found not guilty. "Mrs. Singer, two hours later, she's got the equivalent of a bottle and 3/4 of wine in her still," said Jaques' son, Kevin, a Regina lawyer, after the verdict. Singer never checked to see if she could help Donald Jaques, or use one of the two cell phones she had with her to call for help for the fatally injured cyclist, he said. "At the scene she's using her cell phone," said Kevin Jaques. "She wasn't calling 9-1-1. She was trying to get herself out of a jam." On June 10, 1999, the school board fired Singer for gross misconduct. "Driving under the influence of alcohol resulting in a fatal accident and her demeanour and behaviour subsequent to that" did not set a good example for children, said board chairman John Conway. Singer, who had worked as an elementary school teacher for nearly 30 years, appealed the dismissal. The out-of-court settlement was reached last week. - 30 - |
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