Calgary cabbie Stanislaw Maguder guilty of hit and run that killed teen lying on road - Action News
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Calgary cabbie Stanislaw Maguder guilty of hit and run that killed teen lying on road

A Calgary cab driver who ran over and killed a teenage girl has been found guilty of a hit and run based on his "evasive, inconsistent, implausible" testimony.

Tyla Chipaway was lying in the middle of 16th Avenue when Stanislaw Maguder ran her over

Still images from dashcam footage released in the trial of a Calgary taxi driver shows the moment before Stanislaw Maguder runs over a girl lying in the middle of a major roadway, and his reaction as he strikes her. (Court exhibits)

A Calgary cab driver who ran over and killed a teenage girl has been found guilty of a hit and run based on his "evasive, inconsistent, implausible" testimony.

On Friday, provincial court Judge Sean Dunnigan convicted Stanislaw Maguder, 72,of hit and runknowing a death occurred,in the case of 16-year-oldTyla ChipawayinMarch2015.

Maguder testified in his own defence at his week-long trial in April.

"I found the testimony of Mr. Maguder to have been evasive, inconsistent, implausible and often to have had no air of reality about it," said Dunnigan in delivering his decision.

Chipaway who was wearing dark clothing at the time was lying in the middle of 16th Avenue at 3:30 a.m. MT on March 18, 2015, when Maguder droveover her.

'Manic flight'

In the minutes after he ran over the teen, court heard, Maguder sped in 11 different zones, blew throughnine stop signs and ranfour red lights, evidence showed.He thenheadedtoa car wash, where he thoroughly cleaned his taxi.

Tyla Chipaway died in March 2015 after she was run over while lying in the middle of 16th Avenue N.E. (Facebook)

"Mr. Maguder was at a loss to explain why he engaged in the manic flightfrom the scene and the multiple traffic violations," said Dunnigan.

Court also heard about Maguder'spost-incident mutterings,which were recorded by a video camera inside his Associated Cab.

Dashcam video released at trial shows Chipaway lyingin the middle of the road as the cab that is about to run over her approaches, while another camera angle is pointed at Maguder himself.

"Why did I not brake?Why did I not brake?" Maguder said to himself in Polish, looking visibly upset."Do not admit guilt.Do not admit guilt."

'Acutely stressed'

The next day, the cab driver told a co-worker that he thought he might have driven over a piece of luggage.

"It was evident that Mr. Maguder was acutely stressed and upset asa result of the collision," said Dunnigan. "His reactions were not those of a man who thought hehad run over a piece ofluggage."

At the time of her death,the victim had a blood alcohol level of 0.21. It is not known why she was lying in the middle of the major roadway.

There is no minimum sentence for Maguder's conviction. The maximum penalty is life in prison.

A sentencing hearing will be held in December.