Driver who lost control of car, struck crowd on Toronto sidewalk in 2021 to serve one more year in jail: court

March 13, 2024 Canuck

The man who lost control of his car before careening into a crowd of people on a busy downtown Toronto sidewalk and killing one person on Boxing Day 2021 will serve another year in jail after being sentenced on Wednesday.

In all, Ontario Superior Court Justice Gillian Roberts sentenced Demar Kerr to three separate terms of jail time to be served concurrently – four years for dangerous driving causing death, three years for dangerous driving causing harm, and three months for failure to comply.

While the sentence would amount to four years of jail time for the young offender, credit was granted for the three years already served by Kerr in pre-trial detention at Toronto South Detention Centre.

It was a decision met with sobs by those present in the courtroom at 361 University Avenue on Wednesday. After Roberts read her decision, Kerr asked if he could hug his family, present in the courtroom, but was not permitted.

In November, a jury found Kerr guilty of six counts related to the deadly collision, which took place at Richmond and Yonge streets.

Kerr, working as a food delivery person at the time, was operating a Kia at nearly twice the speed limit while going west on Richmond, towards Yonge, when he struck a vehicle that was making an illegal turn, the court heard.

The force of the collision sent the Kia into the air. It landed on the sidewalk, striking a crowd of pedestrians and sending eight people to hospital. Among the injured were two brothers, one of which was an 18-year-old man who died of his injuries a few days later.

At the time, Kerr, out on bail, was facing four separate charges of dangerous driving. As part of those conditions, he had been permitted to keep his licence as a means to earn a living.

As part of Wednesday’s sentencing, Kerr was handed a 10-year driving ban.

With files from CTV News Toronto’s Sean Leathong.

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