Monday, January 5, 2009

World champion skater jailed for drunk driving

BURGAS, Bulgaria - A Bulgarian court sentenced world ice dancing champion Maxim Staviski to 2 1/2 years in prison Monday for a fatal drunk driving accident.

The court overturned an earlier suspended sentence for the same term. Staviski, 31, was found guilty of crashing his car into an oncoming vehicle in August 2007. A 23-year-old man died and an 18-year-old woman was severely injured in the accident.

Police records showed Staviski's blood-alcohol level was more than double the legal limit.

Staviski was released pending his appeal. He was also ordered to pay 270,000 leva (C$228,480) in compensation.

Staviski and Albena Denkova captured their second consecutive ice dancing title at the World Figure Skating Championships in March 2007.

The Bulgarians finished just ahead of Canadians Marie-France Dubreuil and Patrice Lauzon at the Tokyo competition.


tsn.ca

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