The amount of alcohol in Austin Deir's blood at the time of a fatal highway collision won't be an aggravating factor in his sentencing, a Clarenville courtroom heard Friday.

Deir was charged in January 2024 for the deaths of Haley Keating and Erin Pretty, both 22, when an SUV he was driving collided head-on with a smaller car.

He pled guilty to charges of dangerous driving causing death in April.

Deir's appearance in court on Friday was a Gardiner hearing, used in sentencing when the facts of a case are disputed after a guilty plea.

Evidence heard in the courtroom suggested Deir had three to four glasses of whisky on the night of the collision. However, the court also heard that Deir's blood-alcohol level was below the legal limit when tested.

Deir's blood sample also contained medi

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