Charges of dangerous driving causing death have been stayed against a man after a race-car driver was struck by a vehicle at the Toronto Motorsports Park in Cayuga in 2020.
John Robinson, 70, of Clearwater Township, near Barrie, was also a driver on the Kohler Road racetrack in Haldimand County and was preparing for the start of a race at about 1:15 pm on Sept. 19, 2020, when his vehicle hit Richard Ennest, 59.
Ennest was seriously injured and airlifted by Ornge Ambulance to a Hamilton hospital but later died of his injuries.
A father of three, Ennest was the well-known owner of Mr. Transmission in Burlington and was involved in the race car culture.
He was racing that day himself and standing near his vehicle when he was struck.
“This horrible accident took away a husband, dad, uncle and best friend,” posted the Race Cayuga Sportsman Series on Facebook.
“No words can express the sorrow and heartache the racing community is feeling right now.”
Police investigated the collision and Robinson was charged almost seven months later.
A stayed charge means it remains potentially active for a year and, if not brought back to court, disappears.
A spokesperson for the Ministry of the Attorney General declined to explain why the charges were stayed except to note the Crown must assess the strength of a case and is duty-bound to withdraw or stay charges if there is no reasonable prospect of conviction or it’s not in the public interest to proceed.
“The Crown considers a number of factors and the circumstances specific to each charge,” said Maher Abdurahman.
“After a thorough review and giving the matter careful consideration, the Crown determined a stay was appropriate.”
The Cayuga racetrack is a three-kilometre drag-racing track and has been in operation under various names since 1954.
@EXPSGamble