WALKERTON – Ronald Oscar Seifried, 60, of West Grey was sentenced in Walkerton Superior Court on April 11 to five years in prison in the Jan. 4, 2019 death of Steven Berfelz, 53.
Seifried had been charged with second-degree murder but entered a guilty plea on Feb. 2, 2022, to charges of dangerous driving causing death, and failing to remain and provide assistance.
The Crown had been seeking an eight-to-10-year sentence, while the defence asked for a four-to-five-year sentence.
Justice Bruce Durno sentenced Seifried to three-and-a-half years on the dangerous driving charge and a year-and-a-half on the fail to remain charge, to be served consecutively. With credit for time spent in pre-sentence custody, Seifried has just under two years and nine months left to serve.
Seifried had driven to the Berfelz property in East Brant, near Concession 4 in Brockton, and following a dispute, had run over the victim with the tractor and left the scene. When paramedics arrived, they found Berfelz had no vital signs. He was pronounced dead at hospital.
A lifetime driving prohibition was also imposed, along with forfeiture of the tractor, and Seifried must provide a sample of his DNA. No common law peace bond order was made.
