Former Toronto Maple Leaf captain Rob Ramage has been found guilty on all counts in the fatal car crash that killed his passenger, former Chicago Blackhawks defenceman Keith Magnuson, nearly four years ago.
Ramage looked straight ahead and showed little emotion when the verdict was delivered in a Newmarket, Ont. courtroom late Wednesday afternoon, CTV's John Musselman reported.
Ramage's family wept after hearing the verdict, which was returned after four-and-a-half hours of deliberations by the eight-man, four-woman jury.
Ramage was released on bail and will return for sentencing on Jan. 17.
Outside court, Ramage called the ordeal a tragedy for both families, Musselman said.
"It has taken a huge personal toll on Rob, his wife and his three children," Ramage's lawyer Brian Greenspan told reporters.
With the conviction, Ramage may be denied return to St. Louis, where he has been living in recent years.
"Now it will take an even greater toll because the conviction will end up with him having to leave the life he has built in St. Louis over a long period of time," Greenspan said.
Ramage was driving Magnuson, 56, home in December 2003 after they attended the funeral of NHL Alumni Association chair Keith McCreary in nearby Bolton.
The pair was travelling eastbound when the rented Chrysler Intrepid crossed over the centre median and smashed into a Nissan Pathfinder in Woodbridge, northwest of Toronto.
Magnuson died instantly due to head and chest injuries sustained in the head-on collision.
Ramage had pleaded not guilty to five charges, including impaired driving causing death and dangerous driving causing death.
During the trial, court heard that post-crash test results showed Ramage had at least two-and-half and perhaps nearly four times the legal limit of alcohol in his blood and urine.
Greenspan argued Ramage was sober during the time of the accident and that blood and urine samples were flawed.
A nurse admitted in court she used an alcohol swab to take samples and not the approved non-alcohol kit.
"The jury making the decision decided things were done appropriately by the scientists and the evidence was handled appropriately," police analyst John Muise told CTV News.
The jury also heard that when Ramage was pulled from the mangled vehicle he didn't remember driving the car and was confused as to who the passenger was.
A number of York police officers testified there was a pungent smell of alcohol emanating from the wreckage and from Ramage's breath.
However, other emergency workers testified Ramage did not appear inebriated while receiving treatment.
Ramage was captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs from 1989 to 1991. During his 15-year career, he also played for the Calgary Flames and Montreal Canadiens, winning Stanley Cups with both teams.
A number of former Leaf players attended the courthouse during the trial to show their support for Ramage, including Wendel Clark.
"Rob Ramage drank three times the legal limit, got into a vehicle and killed someone. And that's the bottom line," said Andrew Murie, MADD Canada's Chief Executive Officer.
With a report from CTV's John Musselman
