A Caledon man has been sentenced to 18 months house arrest in connection with a November, 2007 traffic accident on Shaw’s Creek Road which claimed the life of 17-year-old Desiree Meyer.

Shawn Manahan, who was sentenced in Orangeville court Aug. 13, was also ordered to complete 200 hours of community service and has lost his drivers license for three years.

Ms. Meyer died Nov. 25, 2007 when the car she was in left the road and struck a boulder near Alton. Mr. Manahan, who was 19 at the time, was able to free himself. He was treated by Caledon firefighters and Peel EMS and transported to hospital with minor injuries. Ms. Meyer was trapped. Caledon firefighters used hydraulic rescue tools to free her, but she was pronounced deceased at the scene.

Desiree’s mother Jacqueline, along with her husband Erich Meyer, was present at the sentencing.

She said she has no animosity toward Manahan, although she has not had any contact with him since the details of the crash have come out in court.

“I wish he would admit he was responsible for her death instead of making up excuses for how and why it happened,” she said. “The fact of the matter is he was speeding and lost control.”

There were no drugs or alcohol involved in the accident.