Courier van driver pleads guilty in crash that killed woman

A P.E.I. man who was driving a courier van while under the influence of alcohol has pleaded guilty to causing a woman's death.

Stephen Michael Quinn, 56 of Cornwall, P.E.I., entered a plea of guilty Tuesday in Charlottetown Supreme Court to driving with blood alcohol concentration exceeding the legal limit, and causing the death.

A charge of impaired driving was withdrawn by the Crown prosecutor.

Melissa Ann Palmer, 36 of Eldon, P.E.I., died in Halifax hospital from her injuries, the day after the collision March 5 in Eldon on Route 1.

Her husband told CBC she was on her way home from the store when the crash happened.

RCMP have said Quinn's northbound courier van collided head-on with Palmer's southbound Honda Civic.

Quinn was on duty for the courier company at the time of the crash, according to police.

This is not Quinn's first conviction for drinking and driving.

In 2002, Quinn was fined $900 and lost his driver's licence for a year after being found guilty of failing a breathalyzer test, according to court records.

Quinn was charged in March's fatal crash in June. His decision to plead guilty means the case won't go to trial.

The court has ordered a pre-sentence report on Quinn to provide the judge with more information to assist with deciding an appropriate sentence.

Quinn will be sentenced Jan. 30.

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