A Parksville man who lied to police to hide his involvement in a fatal hit and run has avoided jail but will be under strict restrictions for the next year.
Travis Taylor plead guilty to obstruction of justice, for deceiving Oceanside RCMP as they investigated the death of Spencer Moore on Parksville Street in 2019.
According to court evidence, Taylor was the passenger in a truck being driven drunk by his friend Ryan Grob, when it hit and killed Spencer on the night of Aug. 23, 2019. Taylor later lied to investigators when questioned.
“It was this lie, it was both of their lies that perpetuated this and Spencer didn’t deserve this. He didn’t deserve for people not to come forward and speak the truth,” said Jessica Moore, the sister-in-law of victim Spencer.
The driver of the truck, 36-year-old Grob was sentenced to six years in jail. Thursday, Taylor was handed a 12-month conditional jail sentence.
It includes that he stay away from drugs and alcohol, and abide by a curfew for the next six months that requires that he stay in his home between the hours of 9 p.m. and 6 a.m.
Taylor’s defense played down his role in the tragedy, arguing it was a mistake, but crown counsel Nick Barber insisted it was much more than that.
“It amounted to helping someone try to get away with a serious crime,” Barber told a Nanaimo courtroom.
“A lie is everything. It is what has broken our family, has kept our family from healing. So a small white lie, is not even comprehensible,” said Jessica.
For his part, Taylor told court Thursday that he was sorry and no longer drinks or does drugs since the incident.
Taylor told court he planned to keep his life on track going forward.
Skye Ryan
