Almost nine years after the fact, the driver of the van that killed York Regional Police Const. Garrett Styles has finally admitted responsibility for pressing the gas and causing the ensuing fatal crash.

S.K., whose name is protected by a court order given he was 15 at the time of the incident, pleaded guilty to manslaughter Monday at Newmarket Courthouse, months after the court of appeal ordered a new trial in October 2019.

Justice Michelle Fuerst sentenced S.K. to two years probation and a two-year partial driving ban after both sides agreed on the punishment.

It comes after a protracted 2015 trial in which S.K. and his legal team repeatedly claimed he depressed the gas pedal by accident, intending to hit the brake.

Despite that testimony, S.K. was convicted of first-degree murder, but not given a custodial sentence after Justice Alex Sosna suggested he was “already serving a life sentence, imprisoned in his wheelchair.”

A new trial was ordered after it was found the jury was not warned to take into consideration S.K.’s level of maturity at the time.

This hearing’s agreed statement of facts detail a teen first nabbed by police driving his parents’ car in January 2011 at age 14.

Although he initially lied to the officer in that incident, he eventually relented and was taken home to his parents and given a ticket for driving without a licence.

Although he stopped taking the vehicle for about six months, at age 15, he was at it again, texting his friend “I can take out the van LOL.”

In the hours leading up to the June 2011 crash, S.K. snuck out at 1 a.m. while his parents slept and hung out with friends at Upper Canada Mall parking lot, and then Tim Hortons.

At 4:30 a.m., he decided to depart so he could have the car back by 5 a.m.

On their way to drop off the group’s lone girl, S.K.’s vehicle was pulled over by Styles.

S.K. provided him with his cousin’s name and address.

Worried about his parents’ reaction, S.K. refused to comply with Styles’ directions to exit the vehicle.

Although Styles opened the door, his hand was blocked by S.K. when he went to reach for the keys.

When Styles undid S.K.’s seatbelt, S.K. pressed the gas of the Dodge minivan, which was already in drive.

As they drove down the road with Style’s body half inside the vehicle, half outside, he threatened to shoot S.K. if he didn’t stop.

Despite protests from the other passengers, S.K. continued, eventually hitting a hill, going airborne, and rolling the van.

Styles was flung from the van and would eventually end up crushed by it.

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His final words were caught on tape after calling for help on his police radio.

“I’ve got a van on my waist,” he said. “I don’t know. It hurts, and, ah, I got these people inside the van. I don’t know how they’re doing.”

Although the other teenagers were not seriously hurt in the collision, S.K. was paralyzed and is in a wheelchair.

After five months in hospital, he remains partially paralyzed from the neck down and although he can move his hands, he cannot move his fingers.

Assistant Crown attorney Rob Scott said there were four reasons why they decided to accept the plea: 1. The court of appeal questioned whether a 15-year-old could have known his actions would have caused Styles’ eventual death; 2. the Styles family was intent on seeing the case completed; 3. S.K. finally admitted to intentionally driving away; and 4. S.K. had “essentially” served his initial sentence (a conditional supervision) prior to the plea being heard in court.

Alexandra Mamo, for the defence, said any suggestion that S.K. was not contrite is simply not true.

S.K. said two families have been “destroyed” by his actions and at one point spoke directly to Styles’ children, saying that what happened to their father was an accident.

“My paralyzed body will act as a daily reminder,” he said. “I would trade my life for officer Styles’ life if it was an option. I am very sorry. I hope the end of this will shed a little light for all of you.”

He recited the Mahatma Gandhi quote “an eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind” and suggested he’s better off trying to help society rather than being locked up.

“I guess I could be in jail instead of doing good, but I would only be a burden to the system,” he said.

S.K., who now has his driver’s licence and currently attends university, will not be allowed to drive for anything other than medical appointments for the first year of his partial driving ban.

For the second year, he will not be able to drive anywhere other than medical appointments and university.