Ji Feng pleaded guilty to failing to stop at an accident resulting in death, contrary to section 320.16(3) of the Criminal Code.
The incident involved striking and killing a cyclist while distracted by medical news, followed by deliberate actions to obscure her involvement.
The Crown sought a nine-month jail sentence, while the defence proposed a twelve-month conditional sentence.
The court emphasized denunciation and general deterrence as primary sentencing objectives for such a grave offense, noting the maximum life imprisonment penalty.
Despite mitigating factors like a guilty plea, remorse, and positive rehabilitative prospects, the court found a conditional sentence inconsistent with sentencing principles due to the accused's heightened moral culpability from obscuring her involvement.
A traditional jail sentence was deemed necessary to denounce the conduct.
Considering the potential immigration consequences for the non-citizen accused, the court imposed a sentence of 179 days jail, a two-year driving prohibition, and a DNA sample, allowing for an appeal to the Immigration Appeal Division.