Crown seeks 10 years for drunk Tesla driver who reached 196 km/h ahead of deadly Wasaga Beach crash

The Crown and defence made their cases in court for how long a 47-year-old Wasaga Beach, Ont., man should spend behind bars for killing a man in a horrific April 2022 crash.

Jefferson Dance walked into the Barrie courthouse Thursday knowing his time as a free man is winding down, with the Crown seeking Dance be sentenced to 10 years in prison for killing 62-year-old Jim Lynne, who was delivering pizzas at the time of the crash along Mosley Street.

Dance was convicted in June of reaching a top speed of 196-kilometres-per-hour behind the wheel of his Tesla Model Y just before midnight on April 9, 2022. The court heard Dance had about four times the legal limit of alcohol in his system.

• Impaired Tesla driver who reached 196 km/h before deadly Wasaga Beach crash found guilty

Dance was in tears hearing from Lynne’s family, who, in victim impact statements, described the major void left in their lives without Lynne.

Lynne’s sister, Ila Barnes, told the court the horror she endured during the trial when videos of the crash that killed her brother were played in court. She described her brother as loving and dedicated to his family, especially in times of need when Barnes leaned on her brother for support and comfort.

Lynne’s stepdaughter, Osean Gravel, told Dance she was angry with him for breaking her heart and the hearts of her children after causing Lynne’s death in such a senseless tragedy.

“Your lack of remorse towards my family is disgusting,” said Gravel, who told the court Lynne often drove a shuttle in town, getting people home safely following a night out at the bar.

“Yet sadly,” she said, “Mr. Dance, that night you didn’t opt for a safe ride home; instead, you became one of the drunk drivers Jim tried to protect people from.”

An advanced care paramedic, in a letter read to the court by Crown Attorney Indy Kandola, described witnessing the devastating scene as Lynne’s body was pulled out of his Nissan Juke, and paramedics tried to save Lynne.

• Crown says man charged in deadly Wasaga Beach crash was driving 196 km/h in Tesla

“This comes down to the acts of a narcissist,” said Kandola, who called Dance “morally bankrupt.” Kandola said Dance, “without any thought,” drove his powerful car and fired it like a bullet, hitting Lynne.

Kandola said Dance weaponized his vehicle that night, and his actions were avoidable.

The Crown called Dance an “experienced drinker” with a concerning “lack of insight” into his alcoholism, saying he was drinking for seven hours the night of the crash.

The court heard Dance had shared bottles of wine with a friend over dinner and then travelled to a bar in Wasaga Beach, where they drank some more for several hours before heading home before midnight.

The crash happened minutes later.

The Crown referenced Dance’s lengthy driving record, which had about a dozen convictions for excessive speeding and distracted and impaired driving. He had an impaired driving conviction 25 years ago, the court heard.

Kandola argued Dance has no respect for the rules of the road, whether it is drinking and driving or speeding. “In this case he did both at extreme levels,” the prosecutor argued.

The Tesla’s onboard cameras recorded the final seconds leading up to the crash. According to data provided by its airbag control module, the vehicle only started braking a second and a half prior to the crash.

The defence had suggested a defect in the Tesla led to its sudden acceleration and called for Dance to spend four to five years behind bars, describing him as a great father and contributing member of the community.

Defence lawyer Robert Geurts told the court Dance was remorseful and willing to accept responsibility for his actions.

Dance is scheduled to be sentenced by Justice Mark Edwards in November.