Caledon man facing several charges in fatal crash

September 27, 2018 · 0 Comments

The aunt of a 12-year-old girl killed in a horrific collision involving a Corvette and an SUV said she and her family are happy the suspect has been arrested and charged.

Paul Monzon, 45, of Caledon, was the man behind the wheel of a Corvette that crashed and killed three people on Highway 50 and Countryside Drive on the evening of Aug. 4.

A 47-year-old woman, the 12-year-old girl, and a seven-year-old boy, all from Woodbridge, were killed. Two others, including Monzon, were injured.

Monzon has been charged with three counts of criminal negligence causing death, three counts of dangerous driving causing death, one count of dangerous driving causing bodily harm and a single count of criminal negligence causing bodily harm.

“We’re happy to hear he has been arrested,” Salvina Riccobene Greco said. “We knew this was coming because the police said many witnesses (saw the way he was driving).”

She added that the family is trusting in the legal process for justice to be done.

“We hope that everything goes well in court. He has no idea what he’s done.”

She said Julia was “the baby of the family. Her shoes and soccer ball are still in the front of the house, but she’s gone.”

Monzon has been released and is scheduled to be back in court Oct. 22.

None of the allegations against him have been proven in court.

Truckers face fines

Effective July 1, new changes came into effect to the Highway Traffic Act regarding zero alcohol and drug tolerance for Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) drivers.

As part of Ontario’s Vulnerable Road User Safety strategy to address drivers operating motor vehicles under the influence of drugs or alcohol, legislation has been passed to prohibit any amount of drugs or alcohol in drivers who operate a CMV.

A CMV driver is defined under the legislation as a driver of:

• a vehicle requiring a class A, B, C, D, E or F license to operate

• a road building machine, and

• a vehicle that requires a Commercial Vehicle Operator’s Registration (CVOR) which includes a Tow Truck

• Drivers may face short-term administrative license suspensions for the presence of alcohol or drugs. The vehicle they are operating may also be placed out of service. These penalties will involve, at minimum, a three-day suspension and escalating fines depending on prior convictions, in addition to a $198 license reinstatement fee.

• On Sept. 7 at 7:03 am, a CMV was stopped on Castlederg Side Road and Innis Lake Road. The driver of the vehicle registered a blood/alcohol concentration level under the legal limit; however, his driver’s license was suspended for three days given the fact that the driver was operating a CMV with alcohol in his blood.