The family of Robert Guppy sat quietly in a downtown Toronto courtroom as a judge sentenced Anthony Eccles, the suspended driver who caused the death of Guppy, to three years and nine months in jail after Eccles pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing death last November.
A second charge of impaired driving causing death was withdrawn.
Robert’s sister Paula said the family is disappointed and assumed the sentence would be longer.
“I mean, he took someone’s life, right?” Paula said after the sentence was handed down.
On Feb. 1, 2019 just before 3 a.m., a two-vehicle crash occurred at the intersection of Meadowvale Road and Dean Park Road. According to the agreed statement of facts, Eccles, who was driving a BMW sedan faster than 100 kilometres an hour in a southerly direction, entered the intersection of Meadowvale Road and Dean Park Road against a red light and struck the Pontiac being driven by Guppy.
The Pontiac was travelling east on Dean Park Road at 40 kilometres per hour. Guppy entered the intersection on the green light. Eccles had a significant amount of alcohol in his body at the time of the collision. Guppy also had a significant amount of alcohol present in his body at the time of the crash.
As a result of the collision, Guppy was ejected and landed on the roadway. He was pronounced dead at the scene. His cause of death was blunt force trauma due to the collision.
In March 2019, Eccles was arrested and later released on bail with conditions.
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On Friday, Eccles also pleaded guilty to one count of operating a motor vehicle while being pursued by police and failing to stop and one count of failing to comply with a release order, namely not to drive a motor vehicle.
On Jan. 19, 2023, while Eccles was awaiting sentencing and out on bail, Police were called to a McDonald’s restaurant in Scarborough, where they found him sleeping behind the wheel of a Range Rover that was running, with its lights on and blocking the drive-thru. Eccles’ arm was hanging out of the driver’s side window. When officers tried to wake him up, he proceeded to reverse the SUV, drive over a grass median and flee on Kingston Road.
According to the facts, Eccles drove over 100 km/h in 50 and 60 km/h zones. As he fled, he ran through a red light and was followed all the way to Pickering.
Eventually, police stopped following Eccles because he was a danger to public safely. They later traced the vehicle to the Eccles. An electronic monitoring bracelet Eccles was ordered to wear while out on bail also showed he had been at the McDonald’s restaurant in Scarborough. He surrendered to police and never sought bail after his arrest.
Superior Court Justice Robert Goldstein noted in handing down the global sentence on all three charges that Eccles was suspended at the time of the fatal collision and has a terrible driving record and a prior impaired driving conviction.
Justice Goldstein said while reading the victim impact statements, it stuck with him that after the accident Paula had to break the news to her family members, including to her ill father, who passed away just 18 days later.
Eccles’ lawyer Dave Wilson said his client is remorseful and couldn’t explain why Eccles breached his bail condition and fled from police.
“It’s difficult to explain behaviours like this. It’s very unfortunate. At the time, Mr. Eccles had been under extreme stress. His health, his work, he and his spouse had delayed having children to wait for the outcome of this. I’m not trying to downplay his behaviour in any way. His actions were so irrational, they defy explanation,” Wilson told the court.
Eccles stood up and apologized to the Guppy family before the judge spoke about the tremendous pain Eccles has caused.
“I think it’s important for Mr. Eccles to understand, when you get behind the wheel and you have alcohol in your bloodstream, you’re a lethal weapon and a terminator and you terminated someone because of this,” said Goldstein.
The judge went on to say that there is a wider impact on the community.
“We all have to use the roads to get around, even if we’re not a driver. When people decide to have a drink and drive recklessly, they are dangerous and can kill people,” Goldstein added.
The judge also said Eccles, 37, will be added to the national DNA databank and was given a 10-year driving ban upon completion of his sentence.
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