SGI reaches settlement with bars that served drunk woman who killed 4 in crash

REGINA – Saskatchewan’s Crown-owned insurance company says it has reached a settlement with two bars that served an intoxicated woman who later killed a family of four in a traffic crash.

Catherine McKay pleaded guilty to four counts of impaired driving causing death in the 2016 collision that killed Jordan, Chanda, Kamryn and Miguire Van de Vorst.

She is serving a 10-year sentence.

McKay’s blood-alcohol level at the time of the crash near Saskatoon was three times the legal limit.

Saskatchewan Government Insurance (SGI) says the terms of the out-of-court settlements with the Industrial Kitchen and Lounge Corporation, and MCDE Holdings Ltd., which operated the Crackers Licensed Cocktail & Dining Room, will not be disclosed.

The settlements will reimburse SGI for some of the money it has paid out in the case.

“Information relayed in McKay’s criminal proceedings revealed she had been served alcohol at both establishments, and was observed by staff to be highly intoxicated,” SGI said in a release Wednesday.

“SGI took legal action in July 2017 to hold the two liquor establishments accountable for not doing enough to prevent one of their customers from driving away from their businesses highly impaired, resulting in the needless deaths of four innocent people.”

SGI says it has also filed a successful statement of claim against McKay that it will seek to collect in the future.