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Tokar said Christensen was going 122 km/h when he swerved into the oncoming traffic lane to go around a car that was turning in front of him and then 119 km/h when he returned into his lane.

Tokar also told court there were several children in an adjacent playground at the time and said Christensen made an “extremely dangerous” decision to go around the car and showed a “total disregard for the lives” of anyone who was in the school zone.

She argued it was also aggravating that it was a busy weekday and Christensen was a “novice” driver with a graduated driver’s licence.

Court heard Christensen does not have a criminal record and his driver’s abstract has two speeding convictions on it.

Brubaker told court Christensen was picking up groceries for his grandmother at the time, he was not familiar with the area and did not know it was a school zone and said he was “angry and upset” over busy traffic he had been in and he “inexplicably gunned it.”

Brubaker said Christensen saw police and immediately pulled over.

He also said the incident was “out of character” for his client, who understands he must work on his “impulse control” while driving.

“Mr. Christensen is horrified by his behaviour that afternoon,” said Brubaker. “Thankfully nobody was injured.”

Brubaker told court Christensen is a fourth-year apprentice pipefitter who has been doing shutdown work at plants across Western Canada for seven years, but said he will have to look for alternative work due to losing his driver’s licence for a year.

He also spoke about Christensen suffering from exam anxiety and said he took the test for his learner’s permit 54 times before finally passing it as a result of the “stress” making his “mind go blank.”

Brubaker added he has since taken a defensive driving course.

He also told court Christensen was forced to take down his Facebook page due to comments made by the public.