A 26-year-old Belleville man learned his fate today after he was found guilty of killing two young women in a fatal collision near CFB Trenton.
Superior Court Justice Kristin Muszynski delivered her sentence in the case against Aysar Younes.
Following a two week trial in March – Younes was found guilty of two counts each of dangerous driving and impaired driving causing death.
The charges stem from a collision on Old Highway 2 in October 2021 that claimed the lives of 22-year-old Rebecca Beatty of Quinte West and 23-year-old Anastasia Collins of Belleville.
Younes was sentenced to six years in custody for the each of the impaired/over 80 causing death counts. With respect to each of the dangerous driving counts, Younes was sentenced to five years to run concurrently. There will also be a 12-year driving prohibition concurrent to all four counts that will take effect immediately, as well as a non-communication order with certain members of the victims’ loved ones while Younes is in custody.
At the time of the incident, Younes was driving almost 40 km/h over the speed limit. He was travelling westbound on Old Highway 2 as he veered into the other lane, striking the vehicle Beatty and Collins were in head-on.
Beatty and Collins were pronounced deceased at the scene. Younes was transported to Kingston General Hospital, but was released later that evening.
Prior to delivering her sentence, Justice Muszynski stated that Younes is a youthful, first-time offender, he has family and community support, and by all counts he was ‘an outstanding citizen both before and after the events of October 3rd, 2021.’
However, she also mentioned that these types of driving offences are ‘routinely committed by otherwise upstanding, law-abiding individuals’ and that ‘this was avoidable.’
Justice Muszynski found that the four-year custodial sentence imposed by the defense was not fit and just. Similarly, she found that the crown’s proposal for an 7-8 year custodial sentence did not adequately account for the mitigating factors in this particular case, most notably, ‘Mr. Younes does not have a criminal record and only has a remote traffic record.’
Justice Muszynski believed that Younes was remorseful for his actions and believes the risk of re-offending to be low.
Younes was quietly taken into custody.
(HAILEY MACDONALD)
