Teen driver who struck, killed 2 kids in Vaughan driveway sentenced to 1 year in youth facility

Teenager also handed 6-year driving ban, 1-year probation

Thestar.com
April 5, 2022
Jeremy Grimaldi

The teenager who lost control of a speeding Mercedes Benz, hitting and killing Anaya Chaudhari, 10, and Jax Chaudhari, 4, in a Vaughan driveway has been sentenced to custody in an emotional hearing at Newmarket Courthouse.

The Richmond Hill teen, whose name is protected by a publication ban due to his young age, 16, when the Athabasca Drive crash occurred, received 12 months in an open custody youth facility, followed by six months under community supervision.

Justice David Rose further sentenced the teen, identified as CZ, to a six-year driving ban and one-year probation.

The sentence comes after the teen pleaded guilty to two counts of dangerous driving causing death in relation to the children and one count of dangerous driving causing bodily harm to neighbour John Chiarelli.

The court heard how the 2017 Mercedes, the teenager's father's car, reached speeds of 102 km/h prior to hitting the curb and careening off the road.

Rose told the packed courthouse how the young victims' father, Ketan Chaudhari, arrived at the home the night before after a weeks-long business trip. He surprised the entire family with a new puppy, named Coco, after the kids had begged for one.

After going to the park with his wife and the children’s mother, Binta Patel, and the children, the family and the children returned home and were in the driveway when the Mercedes crashed into the three victims.

CZ was going to visit his girlfriend, who lived nearby.

The posted limit in the area is 40 km/h and the bend where CZ lost control cannot be negotiated at speeds above 80 km/h, the court heard.

CZ made statements following the crash including that the steering had ‘locked-up’ and he couldn’t steer and that he had been reaching for his wallet. He also said something was wrong with the brakes, but police found nothing wrong with the vehicle.

First, Jax died at SickKids, with his sister next to him. Then, Anaya passed.

"When we pulled the tube out of Anaya’s mouth she did something Jax didn’t do which was to take her last breaths," the court heard that Ketan said. "She took about 12 to 15 of them. Her last breaths come up to my head all the time and haunt me -- you don’t know how painful hearing those sounds were -- I can’t describe what it does to me."

CZ, meanwhile, had just received his beginner’s permit a few months before. In 2020, he was charged under the Highway Traffic Act. Those charges were withdrawn and didn’t play a role in sentencing, the court heard.

In a letter, CZ, who is now 17, wrote:

"If you take someone’s life in a traffic accident you can’t solve that problem; it happened and now you will have to live with that for the rest of your life," it reads.

The court also heard how the teen has his family’s support and received 47 letters of reference and support from family, teachers and friends.

His report card from one month ago shows that he has grades between 95 and 100 per cent in Grade 12 business, biology, functions and chemistry. He’s also been accepted into the architecture program at the University of Waterloo.

Rose, who appeared to be emotional as he read out the sentencing to a packed courtroom, ended the Zoom call with at least one victim attempting to listen in, due to online objections that arose as a result of technological problems in which online attendees could not hear the judge speaking.

Chiarelli chose not to comment on the judge's move publicly when contacted by YorkRegion.com.

In a news conference following the hearing, the parents of the young victims spoke to the media expressing not only their grief, but raising questions about the Canadian justice system and whether or not the minimum age to drive should be raised.

"If a 17-year-old is too immature to understand the consequences of his behaviours and actions and is then protected under our judicial system, then why do we give the privilege and responsibility to drive a vehicle that can cause serious destruction?" Ketan Chaudhari asked. "How is this any different than providing a gun license to an adolescent and then protecting them for shooting people? Cars are not toys -- they are deadly weapons."

The parents also raised questions about CZ's parents' role in the crime, saying that according to the law, it was up to them to decide whether their child is mature enough to handle and drive a high-powered vehicle.