A Winnipeg motorist who slammed into a senior's car while cruising at highway speed on St. Mary's Road has been cleared of allegations his reckless driving was what killed her.

John Casanova, 41, let loose a heavy sigh and made the Sign of the Cross after Judge Marvin Garfinkel found him not guilty Monday of dangerous driving causing the death of 90-year-old Violet Gooding on the morning of Dec. 3, 2008.

Garfinkel ruled the fact Casanova was speeding wasn't enough to prove he was guilty of the charge he was accused of.

"The manner of driving did not amount to a marked departure from a standard of care warranting criminal sanctions," Garfinkel said.

"The lack of prudence by speeding is a manner of driving that even the most careful driver may occasionally perform," he said.

"I am not convinced that Mr. Casanova's manner of driving constituted a marked departure from the standard of care of a reasonably prudent driver in similar circumstances."

Casanova was travelling north on St. Mary's when he t-boned Gooding's car as she turned left onto Regal Avenue.

A police crash reconstruction report tendered at trial said he was travelling at 104 km/h at the point he hit the brakes hard, Garfinkel said.

The posted speed limit is 60 km/h, but many drivers ignore it and exceed it, court heard.

"One witness described it as a raceway," Garfinkel said.

Witnesses also described hearing Casanova revving his engine at a light prior to the crash and squealed his tires as he peeled away.

He then swerved out of the right hand lane to avoid parked cars coming up ahead.

"There's no doubt he was travelling much too fast," said Garfinkel.

Immediately before the collision, "there was no sound of braking, there was no sound of horn honking," said the judge.

"The impact was major and devastating," Garfinkel added.

Gooding, who had vision problems, died of major injuries at St. Boniface Hospital.

The sun would have been in her eyes and reflecting off the snow at the time she was making the turn onto Regal across oncoming traffic, court heard.

Casanova still faces Highway Traffic Act infractions of careless driving and failing to wear a seatbelt, which were put to a traffic court docket for August.

Careless driving carries a maximum fine of $5,000 and the possibility of a licence suspension.

james.turner@sunmedia.ca

Twitter: @heyjturner