Road rage results in driving prohibition

A case of road rage triggered by impatience proved costly for a Toronto resident. Sebastien Aykler was banned from driving for six months in connection with an incident on the Queen Elizabeth Way last year when he stopped his vehicle in a live lane of the QEW during a snow storm in order to confront a driver.

At a sentencing hearing held in Ontario Court of Justice in St. Catharines on March 8, the 33-year-old was granted a conditional discharge and placed on probation for 12 months. The discharge means he will not have a criminal conviction registered against him if he abides by the conditions of his probation.

On Feb. 25, 2017, court was told, a driver from West Seneca, N.Y., pulled up to a toll booth at the Peace Bridge in Fort Erie. Aykler was driving behind the woman and grew impatient at the toll booth and began honking his horn and flashing the lights of his SUV.

After the woman cleared the toll booth and entered the QEW, court was told, Aykler began to follow her down the highway. At Sodom Road, about 18 kilometres past the Peace Bridge, Aykler drove in front of the woman and stopped his car on an angle in a live lane of traffic.

When the woman pulled up behind the SUV, court heard, a passenger got out of the vehicle and began yelling and screaming and banging on her car.

Court was told the defendant had written a letter of apology to the woman and had also completed 40 hours of community service.