Reckless Driver Faces Justice

Matt Render | Contributor

Featured image courtesy of Pixabay

Emotions flared at the Newmarket courthouse over the sentencing of Seyed Yashar Tolouei last Friday afternoon. Friends and family of the victim claim there was a lack of remorse on behalf of the accused.

Tolouei pleaded guilty to criminal negligence after driving allegedly three times the speed limit, causing the death of 21-year-old York student Julia Baciu. He was sentenced to five years and nine months.

On August 19, 2018 when Tolouei had been driving south with his girlfriend on Bayview Avenue, north of Elgin Mills Road, he drove into a Chevrolet Cruz in which Baciu was a passenger and her boyfriend was the driver. Tolouei was reported to have been drinking alcohol and smoking marijuana before driving.

“One of the cars nearly split in half as a result of the crash. Speed was definitely a factor, but the major factor involved here was alcohol,” said York Regional Police Constable Andy Pattenden.

Baciu was pronounced dead on the scene, while her boyfriend and Tolouei’s girlfriend suffered serious injuries and were taken to the hospital for treatment. After the accident, Tolouei refused to take a breathalyzer test, and has continuously denied being intoxicated.

“I have nothing to prove,” Tolouei replied in an interview on the site of the crash with Global News reporters when asked why he refused to provide a breath sample.

“I think we have an individual who has experienced extreme abuse as a child,” said Tolouei’s defence attorney Brian Brody. “It makes people create defense mechanisms like many abused people, they shout from the rooftops, ‘I didn’t do it’.”

With over a year having passed since the accident, the friends and family of Baciu are still grieving her loss and are hoping to reach some level of closure through justice. However, Tolouei’s refusal to take responsibility, and his overall demeanour towards the case has incensed friends and family of the victim.

“I stood up in court, along with many other people, and told Yashar Tolouei how he destroyed my life by his senseless, remorseless act that killed Julia,” said Jennifer Kesner in a Facebook post following the sentencing. Baciu was Kesner’s best friend.

“Although this sentence will never bring Julia back, I hope this shows every driver out there that driving impaired kills innocent people and ruins the lives of the people that surround them,” Kesner added.

Kesner described Tolouei’s demeanor at the trial as “disgusting.” She also told a Global News reporter that Tolouei was smirking while the friends and family of Baciu read their impact statements.

Tolouei is set to face an eight-year driving ban following his release. He may also face difficulties with his status as a  permanent resident in Canada. Due to immigration repercussions, it is possible that Tolouei may be deported back to Iran.

Meanwhile, Baciu’s friends and family continue to seek justice in other ways. Her loved ones have worked to set up a memorial scholarship in her honour. The $1,000 award will be granted to one Glendon student at York to go towards their tuition. According to Global News, this up-and-coming award will go towards a student enrolled in a language program.