The man who crashed into an Ontario rideshare, killing the passenger inside, has been sentenced to eight years in prison for offences including impaired driving and dangerous driving causing death.
On Sept. 11, 2021, Ajamkot Sandhu, a 25-year-old Mississauga man, caused a fatal collision at the intersection of Winston Churchill Boulevard and Burmhamthorpe Road.
Sandhu, who was found guilty by a jury in August 2024 on seven charges, including impaired driving, dangerous driving causing death and mischief, has been out on bail since he was arrested four months after the deadly collision.
His sentencing on Wednesday also included a 15-year driving ban.
The victim was 34-year-old Matthew Cruz, who was killed while sitting in the back seat of the Lyft he was a passenger in that night. For his family, the sentencing is the end of a long road to justice.
“He (Sandhu) got to say goodbye to his family — they got to say goodbye to him, that’s something we were deprived of,” Jennifer Palermo, Cruz’s aunt, said outside court after watching Sandhu finally being taken into custody.
“Matthew doesn’t get to have a second chance whereas Mr. Sandhu will.”
Matthew Cruz’s family outside court.
Global News
During the jury trial last summer, court heard that Sandhu was operating a 2014 Volkswagen Jetta travelling northbound on Winston Churchill Boulevard, near the intersection of Burnhamthorpe Road, at excessive speed.
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As he entered the intersection, he struck a southbound Subaru that was operating as a Lyft rideshare vehicle. As the Lyft driver attempted to turn left on Burnhamthorpe, his car was t-boned.
Court heard the Volkswagen was travelling approximately 124 km/h at the time of the crash. The posted speed limit was 60 km/h. Cruz was killed as a result of the collision, while the Lyft driver and Sandhu’s girlfriend were also badly injured.
Sandhu had been drinking alcohol and smoking cannabis at Dave and Buster’s Bar in Oakville prior to the collision. He admitted in a statement to police that he was drunk and knew he should not be driving given his impairment.
Sandhu lied to police by originally identifying a man named “Jay” as being the driver of the vehicle. He made up this lie to convince police he was not the driver and redirect the police’s attention elsewhere.
Sandhu also asked his girlfriend to lie to police. She followed his instruction and initially lied to police but in November 2021, gave an honest recount of what happened to police after speaking to her mother and having what assistant Crown attorney Ryan Moir referred to in his sentencing submissions as “a crisis of conscience.”
Sandhu was arrested more than four months later and spent five days in custody before being released on bail.
In handing down his sentence, Superior Court Justice Irving André called the death of Cruz tragic and totally unavoidable. He also found it aggravating that Sandhu tried to shift responsibility for the crash to a “phantom third party.”
The Crown had asked for a sentence of 10 years in prison where defence counsel suggested six years was more appropriate, given Sandhu is a first-time offender.
André said a six-year sentence would not be sufficient. “The toll of drinking and driving in this region has been immense. Furthermore, his post-offence conduct in trying to deflect blame … is simply reprehensible,” he said.
The judge said after credit for pre-trial custody and house arrest while out on bail, Sandhu has seven years and nine months left to serve in prison. Sandhu is also prohibited from driving for 15 years.
After court, Cruz’s father, Jack, told Global News that he has no sympathy or empathy for Sandhu who has shown no remorse. He said he is thankful to the offender’s girlfriend for coming forward and telling the truth.
“She was going along with the charade. What had happened was, when she found out there was someone that had lost their live, it changed dramatically. She was very brave. She was the only one that showed any ounce of how wrong this situation was and if anything we’ve got to give her credit,” Jack said.
Cruz’s brother Zak said the family is relieved the court process is finally over and Sandhu is now behind bars.
“It was nice seeing him finally get locked up after this, almost three-and-a-half years. It’s nice this is all done and it’s satisfying to see him go,” Zak added, calling Matthew his best friend.
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