A man from Markham who drove under the influence with only a G2 license, leading to a head-on crash that killed off-duty York Regional Police (YRP) officer Travis Gillespie, has been sentenced to six years in prison.
Haoju Zhou was found guilty of impaired driving causing death and dangerous driving causing death last October after a trial without a jury.
In addition to the six-year prison term, Justice Mark Edwards also issued a 10-year driving ban effective from the date of sentencing.
Edwards mentioned that Zhou, who is originally from China and was studying at York University during the incident, might face deportation once his sentence is complete.
The accident occurred on Sept. 14, 2022, around 6 a. m., as Gillespie was driving on Major Mackenzie Drive in Markham heading to his job at YRP 2 District in Richmond Hill where he served as a police constable.
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Zhou was behind the wheel of his father’s Porsche Cayenne SUV and was traveling eastbound.
“I’m glad he showed up for court today. I was nervous he would flee and I’m glad he left the courtroom in handcuffs,” said Dan Gillespie, brother of the victim. “He’s dragged my family through this for three-and-a-half years.” Gillespie’s girlfriend stated she hopes others reconsider before driving after consuming alcohol or drugs. “Just don’t drive impaired,” she emphasized. “It’s dumb. Just stop. It’s common sense.” © 2026 , a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
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Get breaking Canada news delivered to your inbox as it happens so you won’t miss a trending story. As he reached the top of a hill, Zhou drifted into westbound traffic lanes and crashed into Gillespie’s vehicle, causing it to spin counterclockwise before hitting a dump truck. Gillespie, who was 38 years old, was declared dead at the scene. An autopsy confirmed blunt force trauma as the cause of death. Zhou was arrested on-site and taken to Markham Stouffville Hospital. Zhou’s blood alcohol concentration (BAC) at the time of the incident registered at 80 mg per 100 ml of alcohol. In Ontario, drivers with a G2 license are required to have a BAC of 0.00% while operating a vehicle. “He came to Canada as an international student to study at York University. Like many other drivers he made an awful mistake. By getting behind the wheel knowing he was intoxicated, he transformed from being law-abiding citizen into someone facing life imprisonment,” said Edwards. The highest penalty for impaired driving causing death can be life in prison. More on Crime More videos The judge observed that Zhou had no prior criminal history or any Highway Traffic Act (HTA) violations and classified him as a youthful offender. Story continues below “He was relatively young with limited driving experience shown by his G2 license status. His father advised him against drinking and driving… He chose to act against that advice. This led to an unnecessary tragedy,” said Edwards. The Crown requested seven years for sentencing while defense argued for four years instead. Taking into account enhanced credit for ten-and-a-half months spent in pre-trial custody, Zhou has four years and seven months remaining on his sentence. <p. As he exited the courtroom in handcuffs, Gillespie’s family expressed their relief over the verdict.“I’m glad he showed up for court today. I was nervous he would flee and I’m glad he left the courtroom in handcuffs,” said Dan Gillespie, brother of the victim. “He’s dragged my family through this for three-and-a-half years.” Gillespie’s girlfriend stated she hopes others reconsider before driving after consuming alcohol or drugs. “Just don’t drive impaired,” she emphasized. “It’s dumb. Just stop. It’s common sense.” © 2026 , a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
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