The 17-year-old driver whose excessive speed caused a crash that killed two Brantford teens in 2023 ignored multiple traffic warnings to slow down, said a judge this week, sentencing the young man.
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But, said Justice Glen Donald, his behavior appeared to be uncharacteristic and the now-19-year-old, who cannot be named due to a publication ban, is deeply remorseful.
“He appears to be a very pro-social individual who entered a guilty plea, rearranged his future plans to become a first-responder and has taken significant steps toward rehabilitation.
“He sincerely regrets his decision to drive in the manner he did.”
The driver and his six passengers, all from North Park Collegiate, were at a party on Aug. 4, 2023 and piled into the SUV to fetch more snacks.
The vehicle tumbled out of control at the bottom of a steep hill with a sharp turn, entering the ditch and hitting a culvert near Otterville in Oxford County.
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Brantford’s Avery Warwick, 18, and Lucas Crump, 16, were killed as a result of the crash and another passenger was injured.
Although the teen driver admitted to having two drinks early in the evening, he had no discernible alcohol in his blood when tested three hours after the crash.
But, said the judge, the youth was speeding up to 157 km/h just seconds before the impact, which was in a clearly marked 50 km/h zone.
“There was no evidence of hard braking,” said Donald, “but vehicle slowed to 92 km/h just before the collision.”
Because the intersection, known as Cornell Hill at Furnace Road, has been the site of other crashes, including at least one other fatality, the county has installed warnings.
The young driver passed three rumble strips and a warning sign to slow to 50 km/h, signs indicating a steep hill and a sign with a flashing light warning drivers to slow to 40 km/h.
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After the youth pleaded guilty last August, there was a sentencing hearing at the end of November where family and friends shared victim impact statements about Crump and Warwick.
Crump was an honor student in French immersion and would have been going into Grade 11.
He had a mop of curly hair, loved wearing bucket hats and “just radiated goodness,” his mother, Karen Hanson-Crump, said after his death.
Warwick, described as a “shining, happy girl”, was a manager at a city McDonald’s, about to start a program at Algonquin College, and an amazing rugby player, according to family.
“Both of these young people were well-loved and well-raised,” said Donald.
“I attempted to fully appreciate the magnitude of your grievance and sorrow but it is an impossible task.”
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Donald acknowledged the Crown lawyer on the case was “strongly served” to any kind of community sentence, instead asking for 21 months in custody, of which seven months could be in the community.
But the judge agreed with the defense that the driver had taken significant steps toward rehabilitation through counseling and made a heartfelt apology to the court and the families of his victims.
The teen was drummed out of his planned fifth year at NPC after being met with hostility from grieving students and, when he tried to attend his graduation ceremony, he was “unable to contend with the environment” and left when he realized his presence was upsetting for the families of the victims who were there.
Since the collision he’s been working and volunteering.
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“I was struck by his sincerity, insight and complete acceptance of responsibility,” said the judge.
Donald ordered that the teen serve two years of “deferred custody” where he’ll be under house arrest the entire time except for work, volunteering, school and medical appointments.
He’ll be on a four-year driving prohibition and can’t use intoxicants.
The judge also ordered the young man to complete a total of 60 hours of community service by speaking to high school students about road safety.
“I have every confidence that (he) will never again seek to experience the thrill of driving so quickly.”
@EXPSGamble
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