A woman who was carjacked and beaten in Surrey, B.C. two years ago while she was pregnant is sharing the story of her terrifying ordeal.
The victim, who asked to be identified only as Sam, was five months along when a violent man strung out on drugs jumped into her truck two days before Christmas 2014.
"I had no idea what was going on. I thought I was being kidnapped," she told CTV News Friday outside a sentencing hearing for her attacker.
The man responsible, Edward Joseph Biwer, had tried to steal another woman's car before setting his sights on Sam's truck, which was parked outside a Shoppers Drug Mart. She had been waiting for her husband to finish up inside the store.
Biwer got inside and drove off with Sam still in the truck, and things only got worse from there.
"As soon as I told him I was pregnant, he started to violently attack me in my stomach and abdomen area," she said, fighting to hold back tears.
The carjacker smashed into half a dozen vehicles on the Fraser Highway. Eventually Sam fought back, attacking Biwer before the vehicle flipped onto its side.
"Right before the crash I had smashed his head into the window, grabbed onto the steering wheel with both hands and just pulled," she said.
Two years later, Sam said she still has nightmares and panic attacks from the incident. She's hoping the court process, which resulted in a guilty verdict in September, will help her heal.
"I remember every single second," she said.
After the truck flipped, Biwer went on to steal a red SUV belonging to a couple who stopped to help. The couple's newborn baby was in the backseat, and dashboard video taken form the scene shows the frantic father trying to chase the vehicle down.
Sam described the scene as "complete and utter madness." Fortunately, the couple's baby was later found unharmed.
Biwer, who had been out of jail for less than two weeks, was ultimately convicted on seven counts, including robbery, assault and a firearm offence.
His defence has asked for a prison term of six years, but Crown requested a sentence of 10 years, less time served.
"The offences were extremely serious, and they were also violent. As a result the Crown sought a significant federal jail sentence," prosecutor Winston Sayson said.
Biwer's defence said he is remorseful, however. The court heard about Biwer's drug addiction, and how he was already smoking pot and drinking at the age of 12. By 14, he was using hard drugs.
His sentence is expected later in January.
With a report from CTV Vancouver's Michele Brunoro
