Teen charged in fatal North York crash that claimed life of 17-year-old girl

Toronto police have charged a 17-year-old boy in connection with a fatal collision that claimed the life of a 17-year-old girl in North York.

Police said officers responded to a call about a collision at Don Mills Road and Green Belt Drive, just north of Eglinton Avenue at around 12:15 p.m. on Nov. 25.

Investigators said a Beck Taxi and a grey Mazda 3 with four occupants were involved in the collision.

Police said the taxi was driving southbound on Don Mills approaching Green Belt Drive to make a left turn when it collided with the Mazda in the middle of the intersection, which was travelling northbound on Don Mills.

The Mazda spun out of control and hit a traffic light post.

Investigators said the 17-year-old girl was trapped inside the Mazda and died on scene. She was later identified as Simona Bagarova, a student at Marc Garneau Collegiate Institute in the Thorncliffe Park area.

The driver and two other passengers of the Mazda were taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

On Wednesday, police charged the Mazda driver with criminal negligence causing death and careless driving causing death.

He cannot be identified under the Youth Criminal Justice Act.

He was due to appear in a Toronto court on Wednesday.

Sylvia Bagarova told Global News her daughter Simona was one of five children. The family came to Toronto in July 2018 as refugees. Two of the older children stayed behind in Slovakia but the three youngest children were beginning to enjoy life in Canada.

Sylvia said Simona would have turned 18 in May.

“She went to school and she didn’t come back. She’s never coming back,” said the grief-stricken mother through a Slovak translator.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-1900 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-8477.

—With files from Catherine McDonald and Gabby Rodrigues