A 70-year-old man has admitted guilt to dangerous driving charges after the SUV he was operating crashed into a daycare north of Toronto last year, resulting in the death of a toddler and injuries to other children and staff members.
Vinay Kumar Gupta entered his plea in a Newmarket, Ont. court Monday morning, facing one charge of dangerous operation causing death and two counts of dangerous driving causing bodily harm.
Gupta was taken into custody at the scene in Richmond Hill, Ont., on Sept. 10, 2025, but was later released on bail.
An agreed statement of facts presented in court revealed that Gupta arrived at the First Roots Early Education Academy parking lot with his wife in a grey SUV just before 3 p. m. that day to pick up his two grandchildren.
While attempting to park, his vehicle unexpectedly moved up onto the raised concrete sidewalk and through an exterior window, crashing into the building and hitting several children and daycare staff across three classrooms before finally stopping, according to the statement.
“The vehicle travelled approximately 18.7 metres within five seconds,” court heard.
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Get breaking Canada news delivered to your inbox as it happens so you won’t miss a trending story. “It was calculated to be travelling at approximately 15 kilometres per hour through the first classroom, 14 kilometres per hour through the second classroom, and 11 kilometres per hour through the third classroom.” The boy who died was just 1 1/2 years old. Other children were also hurt, including one with life-altering injuries and another who sustained broken bones and head injuries. Three adult staff members at the daycare were injured as well. CCTV footage indicated there was no sign of braking; the car’s rear brake lights never activated during the incident, according to the statement. More on Crime More videos The vehicle was nearly brand new with only 2,555 kilometres on its odometer, it stated. “Given that fact, and that it is also an electric vehicle, the driver may not have been fully familiar with all its functionalities,” said the statement. In his police statement, Gupta mentioned that he had been trying to stop the SUV before it collided with the building and thought he pressed down on the brake pedal; however, court heard that it wasn’t functioning properly. Instead, he mistakenly pressed on the gas pedal which caused the SUV to surge over the curb and crash into the structure. Story continues below The car impacted eight children and one staff member in the first room, another eight children in the second room followed by eight more children along with two staff members in final room as detailed during court proceedings. A collision reconstruction report concluded that operator error led to this tragic incident based on what was stated. A sentencing hearing for Gupta is set for Dec. 8. & copy 2026 The Canadian PressSource link
