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The man accused of a fatal Scarborough hit-and-run in 2018 pleaded guilty to failing to remain at the scene of a collision that caused death as his trial was set to begin.
On June 14, 2018, around 6 a.m., 55-year-old Peter Mackenzie was struck and killed while he was riding his motorcycle at the intersection of Danforth Road and St. Clair Avenue East. Mackenzie, who Global News reported at the time worked for the City of Toronto, died at the scene.
Toronto police put out an appeal to find the driver.
Six days later, on June 20, a vehicle with front-end damage “seemingly consistent with a collision” was found, according to the agreed statement of facts read out in court Monday by Crown prosecutor Matthew Shumka.
Forensic examination confirmed paint on the front of the vehicle had transferred from the helmet worn by Mackenzie at the time of the crash, the facts said.
Police attended the apartment of the registered vehicle owner who said that his roommate, Khaled Saleh Bin Rbaa, a refugee from Yemen, had been driving the car on June 14, the statement said.
According to the facts, Bin Rbaa was “not licensed to drive in Canada.”
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When officers spoke to Bin Rbaa and told him his roommate said he was involved in an accident, he replied “yeah — with a motorcycle,” the statement of fact said.
The agreed statement of facts also described the incident.
It said Bin Rbaa tried to make a left-hand turn at the Danforth and St. Clair intersection, cutting in front of oncoming westbound traffic which had the right of way.
One vehicle managed to avoid colliding with Bin Rbaa’s car but Mackenzie lost control of his motorcycle trying to avoid a collision. He hit the ground and then the front end of Bin Rbaa’s car, the facts said. The cause of death was blunt force trauma from the collision.
The statement said when Bin Rbaa then fled the scene his intent was “to avoid liability.”
Sentencing is scheduled to take place later this week.
— with files from Global News’ Catherine McDonald
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