TORONTO – As of today, Marco Muzzo, the man convicted for impaired driving in a 2015 crash that killed three children and their grandfather is eligible to apply for Unescorted Temporary Absences (UTA) from prison.
Temporary absences may be granted for medical, administrative, community service, family contact, parental responsibility, personal development (rehabilitation), or compassionate reasons, according to Correctional Services Canada.
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“When an inmate applies for an Unescorted Temporary Absence, the inmate’s Case Management Team, which includes parole officers, managers of assessment and intervention, correctional managers, etc., must review the application,” Corrections Canada spokesperson Kyle Lawlor said.
Toronto criminal defence lawyer Daniel Brown said, “it is the first step on a person’s way to parole” but he emphasized that the application is closely scrutinized by the parole and probation officers.
“It will depend on really the efforts he’s made while in jail, the reasons for his request to be absent from prison and otherwise his good behaviour and his rehabilitative goals for the future,” added Brown, who is not involved in the case.
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Marco Muzzo pleaded guilty in March 2016 to impaired driving causing death in connection with a crash that killed nine-year-old Daniel Neville-Lake, his five-year-old brother Harrison, their two-year-old sister Milly and the children’s 65-year-old grandfather Gary Neville.
READ MORE: Marco Muzzo: 10 years in prison for drunk driving crash that killed 3 kids, grandfather
Global News has confirmed that there is no parole hearing for Marco Muzzo scheduled at this time.
It is believed he has not yet applied for an Unescorted Temporary Absence.
Correctional Services Canada notes “temporary releases may be granted when it is considered that the inmate will not, by re-offending, present an undue risk to society during the absence.”
WATCH: Family of Marco Muzzo donates millions to hospital in Vaughan.
Marco Muzzo is eligible for day parole in November 2018, and full parole in May 2019.
“Even though his crime is a really heinous one and it’s a crime that caused a lot of tragedy, especially for the Neville-Lake family, he is still someone who is eventually going to be released into the community and this is just on his path toward that goal,” Brown said.