Couple killed in Parkside Drive crash had a love story that 'blossomed across oceans,' court hears

A couple killed in a crash on Parkside Drive in 2021 were adoring grandparents whose loss will be felt for generations, their daughter told court on Thursday. 

Valdemar Avila, 71, and Fatima Avila, 69, had an infectious enthusiasm for life, said their daughter, Ashley, according to a copy of her victim impact statement obtained by CBC Toronto. 

The couple were killed on Oct. 12, 2021, when a man slammed into the back of their car while they were stopped by rush hour traffic. 

"My heart aches not only for myself but for my children, who will never know the full measure of their grandparents' love," Ashley Avila said. 

The man, Artur Kotula, now 41, was found guilty in November 2024 of two counts each of dangerous driving causing death and bodily harm. At the time of the crash, he was travelling at over 100 km/h on the street with a 50 km/h limit, according to an accident reconstructionist report submitted to court.

The crash caused a chain reaction collision with three other vehicles. Kotula's car then mounted the sidewalk and knocked over a hydro pole, according to an agreed statement of facts submitted to court. 

Valdemar died at the scene, while Fatima died later in hospital. Two people in another car sustained minor injuries.

Couples' home was sanctuary of love and support

During Kotula's sentencing hearing on Thursday, Avila said her parents immigrated to Canada from Portugal in the early 1970s with hopes of building a better life. 

"Their love story blossomed across oceans, culminating in a marriage that I deeply admired," she said. 

After the couple moved, Avila said they worked tirelessly, often living on little more than soup until they paid off their mortgage. 

Her father had a heart of gold and always lent a hand to those in need, she said. He found joy in his work as a roofer and never wanted to retire. 

"It is heartbreaking to know that he never got the chance to step back, to enjoy the fruits of his labour and the peacefulness of his older years," Avila said. 

When Avila had children herself, her parents were overjoyed. They showered their grandchildren with "love, laughter and wisdom," Avila said.  

Her family spent many days at her parents' home, which she described as a sanctuary of love and support. Her parents became a crucial part of her own family's dynamic, she said. 

Daughter haunted by crash

On the day of the crash, Avila's parents were driving to Costco to pick up a prescription. She said the decision to send them out that day "haunts me endlessly." 

Avila said Kotula has robbed her of peace and happiness. 

"My family's days are filled with an emptiness that can't be replaced," she said. 

She said her husband misses the advice he received from her father. Meanwhile, her children have been left with only fragmented memories of their grandparents' love. 

"They will miss their guidance, their counsel and the wisdom that only grandparents can provide," she said.

Kotula's sentencing is scheduled to continue on Feb. 26.

Parkside Drive has long been criticized by residents as dangerous due to heavy traffic and motorists travelling too fast. After the Avilas were killed, the city launched an ongoing study of the street, reduced the street's speed limit from 50km/h to 40 and added speed cameras. 

In November 2024, Toronto city council voted to endorse a plan to add bike lanes to Parkside Drive as part of a larger project to make the street safer. 

Witness left with recurring nightmares 

A witness who lives near the crash scene told court Thursday that he has had violent recurring nightmares since the incident. 

Barry Carolan said he was outside his house when the crash happened. He gave CPR to Valdemar Avila, according to his victim impact statement. 

He said it was "a stroke of luck" no pedestrians were in the area at the time, adding, "they would all be dead too." 

Carolan said he has nightmares about people who have been struck in the same intersection. He now avoids taking left turns on Parkside Drive. 

"I think about the egregious actions of the convicted and wonder if another will wipe me out, right in front of my house, and leave my family without a husband and a father," he said.

Since the crash, Carolan said his wife wants to move away from the area, due to concerns about other dangerous drivers. He said he has joined Safe Parkside, an advocacy group that aims to improve safety on the street. 

"But I do not know if that will be enough to keep my family in this beautiful neighbourhood," he said.