A Mississauga man who pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and failing to remain at the scene of a fatal accident has been sentenced to 90 days in jail to be served on weekends and a 15-month conditional sentence to be served concurrently.
By pleading guilty, Mohammad Natur, 21, took responsibility for his part in a street race on Oct. 9, 2020 north on Hurontario Street. The race started at Lakeshore Boulevard and ended with the other vehicle involved in the race causing a chain-reaction collision which resulted in the death of 19-year-old Jagrajan “Jag” Brar.
According to an agreed statement of facts read out in a Brampton courtroom Tuesday, Natur and Peter Simms, 46, began racing up Hurontario Street after they both turned left off eastbound Lakeshore Boulevard. Natur applied the brakes to his Dodge ram pickup truck signaling he was ending the race five seconds before the fatal crash. The Audi S5 being driven by Peter Simms continued and caused the deadly collision.
Natur, who was travelling 100 km/hour in a 50 km/hour zone, did not make any contact during the collision but kept driving, turning onto Mineala Road just north of the crash site. He did not identify himself to police or render assistance. Court heard Natur parked his pickup truck on a neighbouring street and walked back to the scene on foot. Natur was arrested sometime later, after his cousin went to police and said Natur was involved.
Simms pleaded guilty to impaired driving causing death and impaired driving causing bodily harm in July 2021, and was sentenced to nine and a half years in prison.
Get breaking National news
Brar’s mother Rupinder Sandhu, who broke down in tears as she read her victim impact statement aloud, said her son’s absence is everywhere and told the court she has been delivered a life sentence without her son.
“Someone in the accused’s position should out to have known the possible outcomes of dangerous driving, disregarding the laws of the road and of this country, of not remaining at the scene where a collision had occurred that resulted in death. Choice after choice was made that led to the death of my son,” Sandhu said speaking directly to Natur.
“My son, Jag, was killed instantly. He was just driving to his girlfriend’s house, minding his own business on the opposite side of the road. My son was taken. It was completely reckless, thoughtless and preventable,” said Sandhu.
Before sentencing, Natur, who has been out on bail pending his sentence, turned around, looked at Brar’s mother and said, “I would just like to say I’m truly sorry and I apologize for my behaviour.”
Justice Bruce Druno then sentenced Natur to 90 days in jail, to be served on weekends, for the fail to remain charge, and a 15-month conditional sentence for the dangerous driving charge, agreeing with a joint submission between the Crown and defence.
Natur was also sentenced to probation to be served intermittently while not serving his custodial sentence and a one-year period of probation upon the completion of his conditional sentence.
He was also given a three-year driving prohibition and ordered to take a remedial classroom driving course.
Court heard Natur came to Canada with his family in 2017 from Palestine. The other family members have since become permanent residents but defence lawyer Fred Fedorsen said Natur has not, given the outstanding charges. Fedorsen said Natur will be facing immigration consequences as a result of his criminal convictions.
“My client was involved in a race and nothing can bring back the life of this 19-year-old killed in this car accident. Street racing: if you get into a race, even if you stop, the guy you were racing with can continue on and there are huge consequences, even though what occurs after you stop the race is out of your hands,” Fedorsen explained.
Comments