YOUNG DANGEROUS DRIVER BEATS POT IMPAIRED CHARGE

A youth convicted Tuesday of three counts of dangerous driving in a
high-speed single-car crash that cost two 16-year-old boys their lives
smirked as he walked out of a Surrey, B.C. courtroom.

His attitude, and the fact he still has his driver's licence, upset the
mothers of the two dead teens, who were also disappointed that the Crown
failed to make its case for driving while impaired by marijuana -- which
would have set a national precedent.

There is no legal limit for driving and smoking marijuana because it is
illegal to use or possess the drug.

"We were hoping that this would be a precedent-setting case and that the
laws would be changed, and need to be changed now," said Helen
Featherstone, whose son Simon died in the April 4, 2002 crash.

Diane Unger's son Dayton also died in the accident.

Under the terms of the Young Offenders Act, which was in force at the time
of the accident, the driver can't be named, but he is well-known to the
parents of the boys who died.

Senior Crown counsel Winston Sayson said the status of the youth's licence
will not be reviewed until sentencing, scheduled for Nov. 29.