South Okanagan woman charged with impaired driving causing death

A South Okanagan woman has been charged with impaired driving following a fatal car crash last summer.

Vanessa Reis Lameiras is said to have had meth in her system when the Ford Explorer she was driving crossed the centre line on Highway 97 near Oliver.

Alexander LaFortuner was hit head-on and killed in the collision that took place at about 8 a.m. July 31, 2024.

Lameiras was scheduled to appear in a Penticton courtroom Aug. 6, having been charged almost a year after the crash.

The 30-year-old was charged with dangerous driving causing death, drug or drunk driving causing death, and having methamphetamine in her system while driving and causing death.

Following the fatal crash, the RCMP said a 1992 white Ford Explorer crossed the centre line and struck a vehicle travelling southbound head-on. Police at the time wanted to speak to witnesses who may have seen the driving behaviour before the collision.

According to her Facebook account, Lameiras is in a relationship with prolific offender Andrew Hardenstine.

Hardenstine has more than 60 convictions under his belt and made recent headlines when weapons charges were thrown out of court because RCMP officers breached his Charter Rights and tasered him 10 times.

Lameiras is scheduled to be back in court Aug. 20.

None of the charges have been proven in court.