Driver in deadly crash was 'aggressive at times,' passenger testifies

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Cruising is sexier than speeding.

That’s what the companion of the man accused in a deadly 2018 collision said in a Brampton court Wednesday in response to how Paul Manzon was piloting his electric blue Corvette the night of the crash that claimed the life of a 47-year-old woman, her seven-year-old son, and a 12-year-old friend.

“It was aggressive at times, but not consistently aggressive,” Rhonda Gary — a passenger in the Corvette when it collided with a silver Kia SUV on the evening of Aug. 4. — told a Brampton courtroom Wednesday,

“There were times where he would weave in and out of traffic, a little faster than my liking, but in short spurts.”

Police said Manzon’s car was travelling nearly twice the posted 80 km/h speed limit when it collided with Allison Jones’ SUV at the intersection of Hwy. 50 and Countryside Dr. on the Brampton-Vaughan border.

Jones died instantly, while her son, Miles, and Julia Riccobene died later in hospital.

Manzon has pleaded not guilty to three counts each of dangerous operation and dangerous driving causing death.

Gary told the judge-only trial she’d only known Manzon for a few weeks, and Aug. 4 was their second time together.

She testified she drank some wine and ingested “two or three” lines of cocaine at Manzon’s residence prior to attending a car show and a restaurant for dinner, but maintains he didn’t imbibe.

Gary broke down as she recalled the details of the crash to prosecutor Shazin Karim.

“I saw that we had a green light, and I saw the Kia turn, and we hit her,” she sobbed.

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She recalled passing two motorcycles immediately before the crash, saying Manzon’s car was “racing” one of the bikes.

“We were travelling very fast alongside the motorcycle,” she said

Motorcyclist Francesco Occhiograssio testified his riding partner chased the Corvette after it passed them at high speed, spraying the two motorcycles with gravel.

After catching up, Occhiograssio’s partner began slowing down.

The collision happened just “seconds later,” he testified.

“The Kia made its left … that’s when they collided,” Occhiograssio said.

“The Kia got launched into the air, the Corvette, I believe, caught a little air as well, but not as high as the Kia.”

The trial resumes Thursday.

bpassifiume@postmedia.com
On Twitter: @bryanpassifiume