Ryan Jordan Gibson, who last week was sentenced to two years, eight months behind bars for driving while drunk and killing Cochrane teen Brandon Thomas, is appealing Judge Karim Jivraj’s decision.
A joint submission was submitted by the Crown prosecutor and Gibson’s defence for a two year term in jail, but after considering all the facts of the case, the judge opted to extend the sentence by eight months.
Gibson’s defence counsel, Alain Hepner, filed the Notice of Appeal May 15, asking that Judge Jivraj’s decision be overturned.
Gibson, 24, received his sentence in a Calgary courtroom May 12.
In January, Gibson pleaded guilty to driving over .08 causing death and driving over .08 causing bodily harm. At that time, the Crown and defence lawyers were seeking a sentence of two years plus a day.
According to an agreed statement of facts, Gibson was in Cochrane visiting friends on the evening of the collision.
On his way back to Calgary, travelling south on Highway 22, he sideswiped two cars before his truck collided head-on with Brandon’s Subaru.
