

Codi Wilson, CP24.com





A Richmond Hill woman was sentenced to seven years in prison on Wednesday in connection with the death of a cyclist in North York in 2015.

Darya Selinevich, 23, who previously pleaded guilty to several charges, including impaired driving causing death, driving while prohibited and failing to stop while being pursued, will serve 4.5 years in prison when factoring in time already spent in custody

Forty-four-year-old cyclist Zeyong Kang was riding his bike in a residential area near Finch Avenue and Tobermory Drive at around midnight on June 11, 2015 when he was struck by Selinevich’s BMW.

According to investigators, Selenevich was driving 110 kilometres an hour in the area, which had a posted speed limit of 60 kilometres, and she did not stop her vehicle when Kang was struck.

As she tried to evade police in a badly damaged vehicle, she reached speeds of up to 200 kilometres per hour and ran a red light. She eventually pulled over and attempted to flee from police on foot but was arrested a short time later.

After learning that Kang had died, she refused to provide a breath sample and requested a lawyer.

Selinevich, who studied law at York University, was working as a law clerk at the time of the offence.

She wiped away tears as the judge discussed her drinking problem and the personal struggles she faced, including the death of four of her friends in 2013 and 2014. Two of Selinevich's friends were murdered, another one died from a drug overdose and one was killed in a car accident and Justice Leslie Pringle said in order to cope with the deaths and her emotional problems, Selinevich would binge drink.

Pringle said aggravating factors considered as part of her sentencing included the fact that Selinevich had a fresh drinking and driving offence, was speeding at the time of the collision and fled the scene of the crime.

The judge acknowledged that Selinevich accepted responsibility for her actions by pleading guilty and that she has shown remorse.

In victim impact statements described by Pringle in court Wednesday, Kang, the father of a 15-year-old son, was described as an eloquent, intelligent man with a vibrant personality.

As a part of her sentence, Selinevich has been banned from driving for 10 years.

With files from CTV Toronto's Colin D'Mello.