It was just after 9 p.m. on Mother’s Day night when residents of a quiet Markham, Ont., street heard a bang.
When they went outside, they saw a black SUV with smoke coming from it, its wheels still spinning.
In two separate surveillance videos obtained by Global News, an SUV can be seen slowly travelling westbound down Winston Castle Drive before it comes to a rest against the southbound curb. Moments later, it appears to strike a tree that is surrounded by pavestone and thick smoke can be seen.
Janet Geng, who lives just a few doors down from where the SUV came to a rest, described hearing a loud noise, before getting dressed and going outside to investigate.
“I see a car like a barbeque, like lots of smoke, smells like tire burning,” said Geng who watched as first responders dragged a man out of the driver’s seat of the vehicle.
In a news release Monday, York Regional Police said a male driver was found unconscious behind the wheel of the vehicle with the engine revving.
The vehicle had extensive damage and the driver was taken into custody and brought to hospital where “he blew significantly over the limit.”
The same suspect is believed to be responsible for a fail to remain collision about 30 minutes earlier.
Police said around 8:35 p.m., they were called regarding a child who had been injured after a vehicle drove onto a school playground on Beckett Avenue, striking them.
“The suspect left the scene, driving around the property at a high rate of speed without making any attempt to stop, exchange information or help,” police said.
Allen Song told Global News he was walking his dog in the area of Beckett Farm Public School around 8:45 p.m. Sunday, when he saw a Mitshibushi SUV driving erratically near the school.
“I think he hit maybe a couple of things there. We were pretty sure the girl got out of the way. We don’t think she was seriously hurt; obviously some mental trauma is going to be life-lasting,” Song said.
He added a number of drivers tried to flag down the suspect vehicle and were honking their horns.
Police have charged 45-year-old Gffrizio Murriel of Toronto with failure to stop after an accident, dangerous operation and impaired operation – 80 plus.
Murriel’s driver’s licence has been suspended for 90 days and his vehicle has been impounded for a week. He will appear in a Newmarket court on June 8th.
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