Jail term for driver who killed Burlington cyclist
Published July 4, 2024 at 4:59 pm
A Toronto woman has been sentenced to almost six months in jail for her role in the death of a Burlington cyclist.
A judge determined that Ji Feng, 42, has to serve 179 days in jail after she struck and killed 81-year-old Doug Fritz who was riding his bike on the way to Joseph Brant Hospital on May 18, 2023.
Feng had earlier pleaded guilty to failing to stop after an accident resulting in the death.
According to court documents, Feng, who was also on her way to the hospital, struck Fritz throwing him onto the vehicle’s windshield before he landed on the road.
The documents say Feng continued to the hospital for her appointment and contacted an insurance company when she noticed the damage to her windshield. Her vehicle was towed away for repairs but a hospital worker saw the damage and contacted police.
Following the information supplied by the hospital worker, and after obtaining dashcam video from another vehicle, police were able to track down Feng.
When she was arrested Feng told officers she didn’t realize she struck someone.
In handing down the sentence Justice Scott Latimer said Feng’s actions indicated she tried to distance herself from the incident but that she has shown remorse.
The term of less than six months means that Feng, a 20-year resident of Canada, would be able to appeal a removal order from this country which she could be subject to once her sentence is served.
During an interview with halton.insauga.com last year with the victim’s daughter, it was learned that Fritz was a former Peel police officer.
In an ironic twist of fate, Fritz was on his way to the hospital where doctors were going to tell him he didn’t have cancer.
“That’s the hard part going through this,” said his daughter Jackie Fritz. “He was going to get good news. It should have been a great day for all of us but it became the worst.”