It was an emotional day in court for the family of Jasmine Veneruzzo as details were discussed about the fatal collision that took her life.
The criminal negligence causing death trial against OPP Sgt. Darryl Storey continued Tuesday afternoon. He was charged after being involved in a December 2008 collision with 18-year-old Veneruzzo near Twin City Crossroads and Hwy 11/17.
Witnesses differed on how fast they saw an unmarked police cruiser heading west that day. Gary Becotte told the court that he saw the car going at least 120 miles per hour, but witness James Collie later said that he thought the car was travelling around 120 kilometres per hour.
John Lyon told the court that he was driving west on the highway near Mapleward Road when an unmarked police car passed him. Unlike earlier witness testimony though, Lyon said the car passed him at a normal speed and in a safe place to do so.
“I was a little surprised,” Lyon said. “It came out of nowhere.”
A few minutes later, Lyon saw that the car had taken out a guard rail and stopped halfway out of a ditch on the highway’s South side. He said he saw officer Storey lying on the ground next to the car. He went up to the officer and grabbed him a blanket from the trunk of the cruiser.
“He said he hurt all over,” Lyon said.
Lyon didn’t notice that there was a second car, Veneruzzo’s, involved until another person at the scene told him.
Veneruzzo’s car was found down an embankment on the southwest corner of the intersection.
Karin Nelson said she first noticed debris on the road as she was driving east on the highway.
After Storey told her that there was another car involved, the registered nurse ran to Veneruzzo but couldn’t find a pulse. She then prayed with a minister who happened to be at the scene before returning to Storey.
Veneruzzo’s family members who attended court Tuesday afternoon wiped away tears several times throughout the day as testimony was given.
OPP Sgt. John Haley, who was then a Detective Constable, was one of the first emergency personnel to arrive on the scene. After checking on Storey, he went to see Veneruzzo. He also said he couldn’t locate a pulse and determined her to be Vital Signs Absent. He then rode to the hospital with Storey in an ambulance.
“He asked if I knew who it was and asked me was she VSA,” Haley said.
