Trial Begins for Suspect in Deadly Chain Reaction Crash

Almost three years after a tragic chain reaction crash that claimed the lives of Valdemar and Fatima Avila, the trial for Lukasz Kotula, the 38-year-old man charged with dangerous driving causing death and bodily harm, has commenced.

The incident, which occurred in a residential area, involved Kotula driving a 2013 BMW 320i southbound approaching Spring Road at approximately 4:40 p.m. The speed limit at the time was 50 km/h. As traffic slowed to a stop due to rush hour congestion on Lake Shore Boulevard, Kotula’s vehicle moved into the curb lane where it collided with a Toyota Matrix driven by Valdemar Avila, with his wife Fatima as a passenger. This initiated a chain reaction crash involving several vehicles.

Following the initial collision, the Avilas’ Toyota hit a Honda CRV occupied by Celestino Ferreria and his wife Olinda, which subsequently collided with a Dodge Grand Caravan, which in turn struck a GMC Sierra. Authorities reported that Kotula’s BMW ultimately mounted the sidewalk and came to a stop upon hitting a hydro pole.

Seventy-one-year-old Valdemar Avila and his 69-year-old wife Fatima succumbed to their injuries from the crash. Kotula was arrested on November 19, 2021. Celestino and Olinda Ferreira, both 71, sustained minor injuries.

Court records show Kotula’s driving licence was suspended for medical reasons on March 12, 2020, reinstated on January 15, 2021, and then suspended again on October 23, 2021, a suspension that remains in effect.

In the trial, dash camera footage from a nearby vehicle and an east-facing doorbell camera captured the crash and were presented as evidence. Detective Constable Andrew Vanderburg, a collision reconstructionist, testified about the speed of Kotula’s BMW. He stated that five seconds prior to the crash, the car was travelling at 107 km/h and accelerated to 124 km/h just before the collision. The BMW’s accelerator was noted to be almost fully depressed until moments before impact.

During cross-examination, defence lawyer Justin Marchand raised questions about the absence of tire marks and potential unconsciousness of Kotula at the time. Vanderburg, however, noted that the vehicle’s event data recorder indicated brakes were minimally applied.

Superior Court Justice Sukhail Akhtar, overseeing the judge-alone trial, interjected during speculative questioning. Kotula, who has remained in custody since his arrest, has pleaded not guilty as the trial continues.