On May 2, 2012, the 27-year-old borrowed his grandmother’s vehicle without her consent. While heading west on Sagamok Road, he lost control of the vehicle and crossed into oncoming traffic. The vehicle collided with an eastbound police cruiser, causing serious internal injuries to the female officer as well as leg fractures and significant head lacerations. Meanwhile, a 65-year-old male riding in the borrowed vehicle died in the accident.
Police say that the man refused to submit to a breath test. A toxicologist determined that the man’s blood alcohol concentration was between 250 and 274 when the crash happened; the legal driving limit in Ontario is 80. In March, he pleaded guilty to taking a vehicle without permission, impaired driving resulting in bodily harm and impaired driving resulting in death.
When people are killed in car accidents that involved the negligence or recklessness of another party, their surviving family members may potentially recover two types of damages resulting from their loss. In a successful wrongful death claim, a family could receive funds for pecuniary damages like loss of household income, funeral expenses and travel costs to visit their loved one while he or she was receiving treatment prior to his or her death. Family members could also be compensated for non-pecuniary damages like loss of companionship, guidance and care.
