Latest news with #MacMunn
Global News
a day ago
- Global News
Unlicensed drunk driver who caused Toronto fatal collision in 2023 pleads guilty
Tara MacMunn walked out of the Superior Courthouse Thursday, surrounded by friends and family who tried to shield her from news cameras. Just minutes earlier, inside a fourth-floor courtroom, the 40-year-old Toronto woman pleaded guilty to an impaired driving charge causing death as the victim's family watched on. MacMunn has been out on bail since April 27, 2023, nine days after a chain-reaction crash which claimed the life of 64-year-old Hazela Baksh. Baksh's family told Global News they've been waiting for justice for more than two years and are anxious to see MacMunn start serving a significant prison sentence. 'It's been hard for not only myself but my whole family. It's very, very hard and hearing her name called today with everything, it just brings back raw emotions,' said Baksh's sister, Hasheda McCade. Story continues below advertisement According to an agreed statement of facts read out in court by assistant Crown attorney Simon King, it was 11:05 p.m. on April 18, 2023, when MacMunn was operating a 2018 Nissan Altima eastbound on Albion Road near Finch Avenue, where the posted speed limit was 50 km/h. At the time, Albion Road was under heavy construction and traffic was reduced to two lanes. MacMunn was travelling eastbound at a high rate of speed approaching Finch Avenue, where several vehicles were slowing or stopped. As she approached the intersection, MacMunn hit a 2014 Toyota RAV 4 being driven by Hazeela Baksh. The impact of the collision was so severe, two other vehicles were also impacted. MacMunn's vehicle continued into the intersection before hitting a concrete barrier. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Baksh was pronounced dead at the scene. MacMunn and a passenger in the front seat were taken to hospital and treated for non-life-threatening injuries. King said that while in hospital, MacMunn's blood was drawn. A warrant was sought for a sample of blood, which was sent to the Centre for Forensic Sciences (CFS). A toxicology report from CFS concluded that she had 210 mg of alcohol per 100 ml of blood when the sample was collected, or roughly two and a half times the legal limit. Further inspection by police revealed MacMunn's driver's licence was not valid at the time of the collision. An inspection of the black box from MacMunn's vehicle revealed she was travelling in excess of 110 km/h just prior to the crash. Baksh's vehicle was travelling at 11 km/h when it was rear-ended by the Nissan being driven by MacMunn. Story continues below advertisement Baksh's family said she was returning home from mosque, where she had gone to break the fast for Ramadan at the time she was killed. Her cousin, Fazeena Shabudin, remembered her as a generous, kind, loving person. View image in full screen Hazela Baksh's family outside court on Thursday. Catherine McDonald / Global News The family says a 10-year sentence would be appropriate, though the Crown and defence have yet to indicate what sentence they will be suggesting. 'I feel bad for her children, but she need to know that she did the crime and she need to have the consequences,' said Shabudin. 'My message to everyone out there: please don't drink and drive because you devastate a whole family.' Baksh's nephew echoed those sentiments and urged drivers to plan ahead if they're planning on drinking or using drugs. Story continues below advertisement 'There's Uber. There's Lyft. There's so many options, you know. Have a friend be a designated driver. Just be safe. This doesn't have to happen,' said Yasier Jason Baksh. A sentencing hearing has been set for July, at which time 15 victim impact statements are expected to be heard. The maximum sentence for over 80 mg causing death is life in prison.
Toronto Sun
a day ago
- Toronto Sun
MANDEL: Unlicenced speeding driver with almost triple the legal limit pleads guilty in fatal crash
Get the latest from Michele Mandel straight to your inbox (R) Tara MacMunn, who was unlicensed, drunk and speeding when she slammed into Hazela Baksh's car and killed the 64-year-old woman in Rexdale just over two years ago, pleaded guilty to impaired driving causing death on Thursday, June 12, 2025. Photo by Michele Mandel / Toronto Sun/Postmedia Network It was a triple header of selfishness and stupidity: Tara MacMunn was unlicensed, drunk and speeding when she slammed into Hazela Baksh's car on Albion Rd. in a fatal crash that should never have happened. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Except that MacMunn, 38 at the time, was driving with almost triple the legal amount of alcohol in her system and speeding at more than double the posted limit. In a downtown courtroom Thursday, MacMunn pleaded guilty in a quiet voice to one count of impaired driving causing death before Superior Court Justice Katherine Corrick as many relatives of the beloved victim filled the seats and wiped tears while listening to the grim agreed statement of facts. Crown attorney Simon King said it was 11: 05 p.m. on April 18, 2023 and MacMunn was driving east on Albion Rd. toward Finch Ave. W. in her Nissan Altima at 110 km/h in a 50 km/zone. The road was under heavy construction and reduced to two lanes. Baksh, 64, was on her way home from the nearby mosque where she had gone for Ramadan prayers and to deliver food, as she always did. Because of the slowed traffic, she was travelling at just 11 km/h in her Toyota Rav 4. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Read More MacMunn was going so fast, King said, that she slammed into the rear of Baksh's vehicle, struck two more and then continued into the intersection, crashing into a concrete barrier. Baksh suffered catastrophic injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. MacMunn was taken to Sunnybrook hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. A warrant for her medical records revealed a reading of 214 mg of alcohol in 100 ml of blood, King said, and a warrant for a blood sample showed she had a BAC of 210 mg/100 ml when it was collected. Police also discovered her driver's licence wasn't valid at the time of the collision. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Tara MacMunn, who was unlicensed, drunk and speeding when she slammed into Hazela Baksh's car and killed the 64-year-old woman in Rexdale just over two years ago, pleaded guilty to impaired driving causing death on Thursday, June 12, 2025. Photo by Michele Mandel / Toronto Sun/Postmedia Network Baksh's family had hoped to be able to present their 15 victim impact statements but the apologetic judge explained that due to time constraints, she'd have to postpone the sentencing hearing until next month. 'It was just raw emotions, everything coming back to the night of April 18,' said Baksh's diappointed sister, Hasheda McCade. 'It's very hard for us to go through it again. It's been two years, but it seemed like yesterday, just listening to everything in the courtroom.' Baksh was the eldest in their family and she was there for them all. 'She was amazing, she was everything you would want in a big sister,' McCade explained, as she stood in the sunshine with her family outside the courthouse. 'I went through breast cancer during the pandemic. She was there for me, every step of the way, with food, with support, everything,' she said. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'It's been hard for everyone, not only myself, but my entire family.' Hazela Baksh's family was at court as Tara MacMunn, who was unlicensed, drunk and speeding when she slammed into their 64-year-old loved one's car in Rexdale just over two years ago, pleaded guilty to impaired driving causing death on Thursday, June 12, 2025. Photo by Michele Mandel / Toronto Sun/Postmedia Network To lose her in such a senseless way only adds to their grief, she said. 'It's devastating to know that somebody would be so careless,' McCade said fiercely. 'To me, it's murder. It should be a life sentence. She killed someone. She killed my sister.' Yasier Jason Baksh still can't believe someone could be driving without a licence and with so much alcohol in their system. But he saw the results firsthand: he was there to bury his beloved aunt on Eid and was the one who later went to the police lot to get her vehicle. 'Just the damage that I saw on her car – I still can't get that image out of my head,' he said softly. His aunt lived just down the street and was always calling him over to learn how to make her special dishes – or to get some help with technology. Just a few weeks before she was killed, he went to help her prepare a meal for the mosque. 'And I'm really glad I made that time because its moments like those that we take for granted sometimes and we don't know when it will become a memory,' he said. So he has this simple message: don't drink and drive. 'This doesn't have to happen,' Yasier Jason Baksh said. 'This doesn't have to happen to another family.' mmandel@ Toronto & GTA Toronto Blue Jays World Toronto & GTA Canada
