The defendant, William Craig Robson, was charged with dangerous operation causing death and impaired operation causing death after a snowmobile stunt involving towing two young men on sleds over open water resulted in one drowning.
The court acquitted Robson of the impaired driving charge due to reasonable doubt regarding his blood alcohol concentration at the time of operation.
However, the court found Robson guilty of dangerous operation causing death, determining that his conduct, including operating the snowmobile at high speed while towing individuals in uncontrolled conditions and under the influence of alcohol, constituted a marked departure from the standard of care of a reasonable person.
The court also found legal causation, despite the victim's contributing actions, as Robson's dangerous operation was a significant contributing cause of the death.
