Alex Kurial/ Local Journalism Initiative

A Sarnia woman, who says she has not intention of ever driving again, has been given a three-year driving ban after pleading guilty to running over a four-year-old child multiple times.
“The circumstances involving this matter are truly tragic,” Justice Anne McFadyen said while sentencing Anne Thompson, 84, in court on June 29.
“A four-year-old child has undergone extensive medical intervention to deal with the consequences of the motor vehicle accident.”
The accident occurred on an October morning in 2018. The child and her pregnant mother pressed a crosswalk button along Exmouth St. and began crossing the road to get to school once the walk signal appeared.
Thompson was driving eastbound along the street and did not stop or adjust her speed for the crossing light as she struck both mother and child. 
The four-year-old was thrown 25 meters down the road by the impact.
Her mother was knocked to the ground.
Thompson, who the prosecution described as “oblivious” to what was going on, continued driving and once again rode over the child, who was now lying unconscious in the street. 
Other motorists attempted to get Thompson’s attention and get her to stop. She instead shifted into reverse and drove over the child a third time before stopping the car.
The child was rushed to hospital in London. Her injuries included a fractured pelvis, fractured femur, lacerated spleen and subdural brain bleed. The mother suffered injuries to her legs.
There were no injuries to the child she was carrying. 
The little girl will suffer life-long physical consequences from the accident.
“In addition to physical injuries, it is quite clear there will be emotional scarring that will have to be dealt with by this family well into the future,” says Justice McFadyen. “There’s also been a financial impact on the family, given the need to transport themselves to out of town appointments and lost employment.
“It truly is a tragic situation.”
Crown Attorney Suzanne LaSha says normally this offense would call for jail time. But the “rare and exceptional” circumstances of this case – given the offender’s age – meant the maximum driving ban was the most appropriate punishment. 
McFadyen agreed that jail time would usually be necessary, but felt the joint submission of a three-year driving ban “addresses the primary issue that Ms. Thompson should not be driving a motor vehicle for a significant period of time.”
The court heard that Thompson had passed the over-80 driving test shortly before the incident.