She was an instant friend who would help anyone before they asked, and was right proud of her Irish heritage.
That’s what friends and co-workers said about Sandra Casey, a 43-year-old woman struck and killed outside Money-Pennies Eatery and Bar, located at 10 Ave and 17 St S.W. early yesterday morning by an alleged hit-and-run driver.
Lynne Gibson, who had known Casey for at least 10 years, was among the growing crowd of friends who had started gathering at the pub as early as 3 a.m. the night before.
“I never heard a bad word about her,” she said.
Casey had been helping out in the kitchen and was about to get into a friend’s car for a ride home around 2 a.m. when she was struck by a car travelling westbound on 10 Ave., which rendered her unconscious.
She died shortly after being transported to hospital by EMS.
Terry Wheeler, whose son and daughter own the bar and who said the woman was like family, said he half expected Casey to walk through the door and that “it’s just not sinking in.”
“It’s a coward’s way out,” he said of the alleged hit-and-run driver.
“There’s no excuse for that.”
Deb Boniface, who married Casey on April 3 last year, said she had phoned several times to see if Casey needed a ride back to their Marda Loop home, but the pub phone was accidently left off the hook for two hours.
“Somebody murdered my wife,” she said, adding later that the community had lost a best friend.
Boniface said the police told her they had seized security cameras along 10 Ave. and had some leads, including looking for a car that was either white or silver in colour that had been travelling at high speeds.
Boniface said that Casey will be transported back to Ireland to be buried beside her mother.
Anyone with information is asked to call the police at 403-266-1234 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
