Zhang
The hit-and-run driver who killed a New Zealand tourist in Vancouver is out of jail after serving less than five months.
Xiao Zhang, 21, not only drove away after striking and killing David Higgins, 51, on June 2006, he also failed to appear at his sentencing earlier this year. He was arrested a few days later in Toronto carrying several cellular phones.
A judge sentenced him to 11 months in jail, but Zhang applied for parole after two weeks. He was released on parole after a two-hour hearing yesterday in Chilliwack, cknw.com reports.
He’ll be supervised until March 2008, followed by two years probation, according to Evelyn Blair, of the national parole board.
She added that Zhang will be sent back to jail if he doesn’t abide by the conditions of release.
At the time of the trial, the victim’s sister, Judy Esthes, criticized the Canadian legal system for being too lax on her brother’s killer.
She added that their parents were left “broken” by the ordeal.
