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A Nanaimo woman accused of dangerous driving in the death of an 85-year-old woman in the parking lot of Woodgrove Mall two years ago has pleaded guilty to a lesser offence.
Jazmin Faye Patenaude pleaded guilty on March 18 to driving a motor vehicle without due care and attention in the March 21, 2024, death of Maureen Martin of Nanaimo.
Patenaude, who turns 25 this year, received a $1,000 fine.
Patenaude was originally charged in February 2025 with dangerous driving causing death, but after two days of testimony at a preliminary inquiry, the BC Prosecution Service said she pleaded guilty to a Motor Vehicle Act charge.
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Nanaimo RCMP said the modified design of Patenaude’s truck, which was jacked up like a monster truck, contributed to the tragic incident.
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“The modifications to Ms. Patenaude’s truck, including suspension lifts, oversized tires, and tinted windows, made driving in a crowded parking lot at a busy mall unsafe”, Const. Sherri Wade said in a February 11, 2025, news release.
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RCMP said Martin had parked beside Patenaude’s truck before she exited her car, and began walking towards the mall.
At the same time, Mounties said, Patenaude exited her parking stall, turned left, and struck the elderly woman, knocking her to the ground.
Martin, who died at the scene, was the widow of the late Chief Warrant Officer/Capt. George Martin, according to a social media post from the Royal Canadian Army Service Corps (RCASC).
Patenaude was also ordered to pay a victim fine surcharge of $150.
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