It was about 7 p.m. when Matthew Darlington ingested methamphetamine and got behind the wheel and headed for the ferry terminal despite a suspended driver's licence. But his night was just beginning.
Later on in the evening of Sept. 6, 2021, Darlington smoked some cannabis after arriving on the Island at about 11 p.m. His drug-induce ride came to an end shortly before 2 a.m. the next day near Sooke when his vehicle struck a tree in a crash that claimed the life of his seven-year-old son.
His spouse was in the front passenger seat and their three children, ages seven, eight and 10, were in the back seat, all of which suffered from injuries. His seven-year-old son died of his injuries in hospital in the early morning of Sept. 7.
Darlington, now 49, was sentenced to six years in jail for causing the crash while impaired by drugs.
The judge noted Darlington has an extensive criminal record, including for violence and threats of violence, and he was convicted of driving while prohibited in 2011, 2013, 2015, 2016, twice in 2017, twice in 2019 and in 2022. He was prohibited from driving when the deadly crash occurred, and he was convicted of driving without a driver’s licence less than a year later.
"Mr. Darlington poses a serious threat to public safety. His disobedience of past driving prohibitions demonstrates that he will probably continue to drive, no matter what order I make. His lengthy and serious driving history demonstrates that, when driving, he puts others at constant risk. As a consequence, the only way in which I can protect the public from him is to order his incarceration," the judge noted.
Darlington and his spouse are now divorced and she does not want contact with him according to the judge, however, the Ministry of Children and Family Development reported that he has taken positive steps to repair his relationships with his two surviving children.
"I am mindful of the needs of Mr. Darlington’s surviving children, and I accept the sincerity of his wish to provide them with sound parenting. With that acknowledged, I am not satisfied that he provides a good role model," the judge noted. "He has been, over a period of many years, a man who simply refuses to obey the law. I do not believe that any contribution which he can make to his children’s upbringing could outweigh the need to protect the public."
In addition to the six-year jail sentence, Darlington was given a 35-year driving prohibition.