More than 100 victim impact statements submitted by friends, family of Winnipeg woman killed by drunk driver

Over 100 people submitted victim impact statements, and more than 80 friends and family members packed a Winnipeg courtroom Tuesday morning as a sentencing hearing began for a man who pleaded guilty to impaired driving in a crash that killed a 24-year-old Winnipeg woman.

Many of Jordyn Reimer's friends and family members wore purple T-shirts with her photo and name on the front, and the words "Justice for Jordyn" printed on the back, as sentencing began for Tyler Scott Goodman, 30.

Reimer, 24, was killed in the early morning hours of May 1, 2022, in a two-vehicle collision in Winnipeg's Transcona neighbourhood.

Goodman, who was just days shy of turning 29 at the time of the collision, pleaded guilty this past May to charges of impaired driving causing death and failing to stop at the scene.

Crown prosecutors are asking a judge to impose a six-year sentence for the impaired driving causing death charge and an additional one-year sentence for failing to stop at the scene.

The Crown is also seeking a six-month conditional sentence for Goodman's mother, Laurie Lynn Goodman, who pleaded guilty to one charge of obstruction of justice for giving misleading information to police after the crash.

The court received 122 victim impact statements from Reimer's friends and family, and around 70 people asked to read them in court. The court agreed to hear as many as possible, giving the immediate family priority.

Some of the statements submitted were read Tuesday afternoon, starting with one from her oldest sister, Alex Reimer.

She told the court she lives with Type 1 diabetes and has struggled to control her blood sugar in the wake of Jordyn's death.

She sometimes loses consciousness, and that's when she feels closest to Jordyn, she said — but in order to fight to live, she has to leave her sister every time, she told court.

"I can't keep losing her," said Alex, fighting through tears. "I don't want to live this life without Jordyn … because I shouldn't have to."

She also said she's suffered panic attacks and has a fear of of getting into a crash herself.

"I don't know how this will ever go away," Alex said. "The defendant, his mother and his passengers remain in this world, while Jordyn is gone forever."

Driving 101 km/h in 50 zone

Court heard Goodman consumed nine or 10 drinks at the Joe's Pandora Inn bar in Transcona on the night of April 30. As the bar closed, he and three friends bought a pack of 15 beers.

As they were about to leave, a woman who knew Goodman confronted him and asked where his keys were. Goodman said he said he didn't know, court previously heard.

The woman grabbed his jacket from a table and the keys were found inside, Crown attorney Matt Armstrong previously told the court. One of Goodman's friends took the keys back, telling the woman not to worry and that he would drive because he was not as drunk.

Goodman got behind the wheel of his 2019 Dodge Ram truck around 2 a.m., driving north on Bond Street with his three passengers, court heard.

Armstrong told court Tuesday one witness estimated Goodman was driving 80 km/h, accelerating as he travelled north.

Goodman ran two stop signs before colliding with the driver's side of Reimer's SUV around 2:10 a.m., as she drove west on Kildare Avenue on her way to pick up a friend, court heard.

"Three seconds prior to the collision the accelerator was pressed 100 per cent," Armstrong told provincial court Judge Kael McKenzie.

Goodman was going 101 km/h at the time of the collision, Armstrong said, citing an analysis of data from his vehicle and a collision reconstruction report.

The speed limit in the residential area is 50 km/h, and the intersection where the crash happened is controlled by stop signs facing north and south.

Goodman's actions speak to "intentional risk-taking behaviour … sustained over many blocks," Armstrong told the court.

Reimer, who was serving as a designated driver, suffered catastrophic injuries. She was taken to hospital but died later that morning.

'There will never be any forgiveness': father

In her victim impact statement, Nikki Reimer, another of Jordyn's sisters, recalled the phone call she got in the middle of the night.

It was from her father, Doug Reimer, who was struggling to speak.

"'Nikki … she's gone,' he said to me. This call lives with me every single day," she said.

Jordyn's younger sister, Andrea, told court people still accidentally call her Jordyn because they look so much alike.

Her sister was given a death sentence because of the driver's choices and actions, Andrea said.

"My sweet Jordyn deserved more than what justice can give," she told the court.

Jordyn's mom, Karen, said she's had to watch her family crumble apart without her second-youngest.

Doug Reimer told the court the actions of the Goodmans after the collision have taken away his belief in humanity.

"It is why there will never be any forgiveness for me to these people," Doug said. "These type of people don't deserve it."

Sentencing for Tyler Goodman continues, with a second day scheduled for Friday. Defence lawyers for both Laurie and Tyler Goodman will make submissions at that time.