A Midland man has been sentenced to 18 months in jail after pleading guilty to dangerous driving and fleeing the scene of a crash that nearly killed a woman last summer.
Patrick McGuire, 41, was sentenced Wednesday to about nine more months in jail, taking into account time already served in pre-sentence custody. The crash occurred at 3:40 a.m. on August 12, 2024, when McGuire drove into 29-year-old Michelle Vainer, leaving her with life-threatening injuries. Vainer was rushed to the hospital but has since made a full recovery. In a Victim Impact Statement, she described the long-lasting pain caused by the crash.
McGuire was initially charged with attempted murder, after a dispute between Vainer and McGuire’s ex-girlfriend, Georgia Quanbury, escalated. During the argument near Wellington and Robert streets, McGuire struck Vainer, who had been standing in the street. The court heard that the incident occurred in poor visibility and “extremely dark” conditions.
Quanbury had pleaded guilty in May to several charges related to the incident, including assault. McGuire, who took responsibility for the crash, opted to plead guilty to a joint submission agreed upon by the Crown and defense. In court, he apologized for his actions, and his lawyer argued that hitting Vainer was not intentional, describing McGuire’s behavior as out of character.
McGuire, who had spent five months in jail before being released in January under strict conditions, will be on probation for two years as part of his sentence. He is also banned from contacting Vainer or her partner, Joe LeClair, and will be prohibited from driving for five years once released.
Vainer and LeClair have a history of drug-related charges, with Vainer scheduled to return to court later this month for trial. The allegations against them have not yet been tested in court.