

Chris Herhalt and Chris Fox, CP24.com





A 29-year-old man accused of killing three kids and their grandfather in a drunk driving crash last fall pleaded guilty to 6 of 18 charges laid against him and was granted bail during a court appearance on Thursday morning.

Marco Muzzo pleaded guilty to four counts of impaired driving causing death and two counts of impaired driving causing bodily harm in a Newmarket court, in connection with the deaths of nine-year-old Daniel Neville-Lake, his five-year-old brother Harrison, their two-year-old sister Milly and the children’s 65-year-old grandfather Gary Neville. They were all killed on Sept. 27 after the minivan they were travelling in was t-boned by an SUV in Kleinburg.

Two women, the children’s grandmother and great-grandmother, were also in the van at the time and were injured.

“This has been a sad and tragic day for everyone and a sad and tragic day for Mr. Muzzo,” Muzzo’s lawyer Brian Greenspan said. “Hopefully he’ll be able to address some personal matters over the next two weeks before he returns to custody and we make sentencing submissions.”

According to an agreed statement of facts, a private jet carrying Muzzo from his bachelor trip in Miami landed at Pearson International Airport. He cleared customs, and got behind the wheel of a Jeep Grand Cherokee, heading to his home in Vaughan.

Shortly after 4 p.m. on Sept. 27, Muzzo’s vehicle collided with the minivan carrying the children at the intersection of Kirby Road and Kipling Avenue.

An officer who responded to the scene observed Muzzo was “was unsteady on his feet, he had glossy eyes, he attempted to use people to use his balance, he urinated himself, he was having a difficult time comprehending direction and he had the smell of an alcoholic beverage emanating from his breath.”

Two breath samples taken from Muzzo about two hours after he was taken into custody indicated he had a blood alcohol level of more than double the legal Ontario limit.

He faced charges including impaired driving causing death, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing death and impaired driving causing bodily harm. Lawyers on both sides had previously said that some of the charges were duplicates and would likely not proceed.

“From moment one, Mr. Muzzo knew that this day would come,” Greenspan said. “He immediately took responsibility, you heard today that after consulting counsel, admitting to being the driver and cooperated in the police investigation.”

Greenspan proposed that Muzzo be free on bail until his sentencing hearing on Feb. 23, with a $1 million recognizance split between his mother and the parents of his fiancée.

The Crown and Justice Michelle Fuerst accepted this, along with conditions that Muzzo keep the peace until that time and reside at his mother’s house in Kleinburg until his sentencing.

Greenspan called the notion that Muzzo received bail because of his family’s immense wealth “outrageous.” Muzzo’s late grandfather, Marco Muzzo Sr., founded construction and development businesses worth more than $1 billion combined.

“(Bail) is a right enjoyed by anyone in the community, this is not only routine, this would have happened with virtually anyone who had any roots in the community regardless of status, regardless of wealth, regardless of any other issue. This was a routine matter, it was not a special treatment matter.”

Mother says granting of bail is unfortunate

Muzzo formally entered his guilty plea just one day after what would have been the 10th birthday for one of his victims, Daniel Neville-Lake.

Speaking with reporters outside the courthouse, the mother of the children said that while Muzzo’s release on bail is “unfortunate,” she can find some relief in knowing that he will ultimately pay for his actions.

“I was always afraid to call him what he is which is a drunk driver but now I can say that and I don’t have to be afraid to say that,” Jennifer Neville-Lake said, fighting back tears. “A drunk driver killed my family and he admitted to it.”

Neville-Lake has been a fixture at the Newmarket courthouse for all of Muzzo’s appearances but she said Thursday was particularly difficult because it was the first time that she heard the names of her children and father read out in court.

Asked if she could ever forgive Muzzo, Neville-Lake said she hoped to be able to someday but is still just trying to come to terms with “the total devastation of not being a mom anymore” and is “nowhere near” a place where she can contemplate forgiveness.

“Every single facet of my life has been destroyed or just completely altered in such a way that it feels like it is not even me,” she said.

With Muzzo’s guilty pleas now officially on record, Neville-Lake said her attention will now shift to sorting through nearly 200 victim impact statements that have been submitted to her by various members in the community as well as groups from as far away as Alberta and Belgium.

Neville-Lake said she also has to craft her own victim impact statement, though she said she really doesn’t know what sentence would be appropriate.

“He took four lives from me, what is reasonable? I don’t even know,” she said.

Numerous bail conditions

While out on bail Muzzo will be required to adhere to a long list of conditions set by the court.

He will be prohibited from driving, purchasing or consuming alcohol, and he must report each Sunday to York Regional Police.

He will also be under a 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew except for medical emergencies and must remain at least 100 metres away from any place of employment, education or residence of the Neville-Lake family. Greenspan said this condition was requested by the Crown.

“Everyone is confident he will abide by the terms of his release,” Greenspan said.