The owner of a paving company owner has been fined $33,500 for a workplace accident that claimed the life of a teen from Stony Mountain.
In July 2008, 15-year old Andrew James died when he was buried under hot asphalt.
Gerald Shepell pleaded guilty to charges under workplace and safety regulations, including employing under-age workers.
He had faced a maximum $180,000 fine, but his lawyer succeeded in having it reduced. Shapell will pay $500 a month until the fine is paid off.
The teen died instantly when he became trapped in asphalt that had spilled from a truck at a former Manitoba Hydro substation in Stony Mountain.
Several co-workers, including Shepell, tried to save the teen after he apparently lost his footing while shovelling asphalt from a trailer box into a back-hoe scoop.
Defence lawyer Randy Minuk declined comment on the fine, but said earlier that Shepell feels tremendous guilt for what happened to a boy whom he considered "like a son."
The boy's parents have stood by Shepell and have said they hold no ill will towards him.
-with files from the Canadian Press
