MOOSE JAW — The death of Alec Pattison in a dangerous driving incident in 2024 devastated his girlfriend, Helena Hamm, as the two had been discussing marriage before his life was cut short.
“My last name should have been Pattison,” Hamm said in Moose Jaw Provincial Court on Oct. 29, while reading her victim impact statement during the sentencing of Mortlach’s Tyrel Terence Cronan.
Continuing, Hamm said that while Cronan’s dangerous driving on Nov. 7, 2024, took the life of the 31-year-old Pattison, the incident could “never steal the memories we shared.” However, the incident prevented Pattison from reuniting with his biological children, for whom he had been searching.
“To me, Alec lived his life to the fullest. He helped a lot of people see how precious life was. He fought for those who couldn’t fight for themselves,” said Hamm, noting helped her leave an abusive relationship.
Pattison was patient, loving, caring and kind, while he treated everyone with love, the woman continued.
“I guess Billy Joel said it right: ‘When the good die young,’” Hamm remarked. “Alec came into this world in a blast, and he went out with a big bang.”
Hamm understood that Cronan likely regretted the mistake he made every day, but encouraged him not to hate himself. She also knew that, based on Pattison’s advice, life was too short for her to harbour hate for what her boyfriend’s best friend did by driving intoxicated.
Hamm noted that she couldn’t immediately forgive Cronan for “stealing the love of my life.” However, in time, she expected to forgive the 27-year-old since that’s what Alec would have wanted.
“You cannot change the outcome, but hopefully you can continue his light he (shone) into this dark world,” she said. “Don’t let his death demolish all the values he had in his life.”
The woman noted that on the night of Pattison’s death, she wanted to swear repeatedly at Cronan, but she didn’t since he likely wasn’t thinking of the consequences of his actions. Yet, she was sorry that he now faced the legal ramifications for what he did.
After Hamm concluded, Cronan tearfully said to Judge David Chow, “(I’m) sorry for my actions.”
Judge Chow then reviewed the case, saying Cronan had already pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing death. He noted that the Mortlach man had been “plagued with significant struggles” with alcohol abuse over the years, which contributed to the “catastrophic” vehicle rollover.
Continuing, the judge said Cronan had acquired similar driving-related offences during the last decade, while he was forced to learn lessons “the hard way” — including causing his friend’s death.
“I hope he has learned his lessons,” Judge Chow remarked.
The judge said that, in sentencing Cronan, he was guided by the principles of denunciation, deterrence and public safety. Yet, he pointed out that sentencing the Mortlach man to jail would mean the latter would miss important moments in his children’s lives.
As part of a joint sentence, the Crown and defence suggested Cronan spend five years, or 60 months, in a federal jail, along with a five-year driving prohibition after release.
Judge Chow indicated that the length was “well within the appropriate range,” based on previous case-law examples.
The judge then sentenced Cronan to 60 months, or 1,800 days, in a federal jail, but subtracted 45 days because of the time Cronan had spent on remand after his arrest. This left 1,755 days for the man to serve.
Chow also banned Cronan from possessing non-prohibited firearms or weapons for 10 years and from possessing prohibited firearms or weapons for life.
As Cronan began to leave the courtroom, Hamm, still on the phone, said to him, “Keep your head up, OK? I’ll forgive you one day, but now I can’t. Keep your head up and know that your family loves you.”
Cronan then hugged his family and was led by court sheriffs to jail.
