He Fired a Rifle at Their Truck. The Court Ruled He Didn't Mean To

<p>In 2018, 20-year-old Hailey Dugay was sitting in the back seat of her boyfriend&#39;s truck, heading home with friends.</p><p>Earlier that night, Jesse Paluk had been involved in an altercation at a bar near Fraserwood. Later, when three vehicles approached on a gravel road, Paluk stood in the road holding a rifle and told William Comber to have his back.</p><p>What no one inside the truck could see was Comber standing off to the side. As Hailey&#39;s boyfriend drove away, several shots were fired. A bullet from Comber&#39;s hunting rifle struck the truck and hit Hailey. Her boyfriend rushed her to the hospital, but she did not make it.</p><p>It took almost a year for Dana to learn who fired the shot that took her daughter&#39;s life. </p><p>Years later, Manitoba&#39;s highest court reduced Comber&#39;s second-degree murder conviction to manslaughter. The court found there wasn&#39;t enough evidence to prove he intended to harm someone inside the truck rather than damage the vehicle.</p><p>In this episode of Careers Under Construction, Dana shares what happened that night and why it took nearly a year to learn the truth, how a jury ended up being selected from a Walmart parking lot and how Hailey&#39;s Way has supported more than 100 youth across the Interlake.</p><p>To support youth programs in Hailey&#39;s memory, follow Hailey&#39;s Way on Facebook and Instagram.</p>