The family of a 36-year-old woman who was killed along with her three young children in a Brampton, Ont. car crash says they feel the man responsible has shown ‘zero remorse.’

Karolina Ciasullo was just shy of her 37th birthday when the vehicle she was driving was struck by an Infiniti G35 near Torbram Road and Countryside Drive. The June 18, 2020 collision also claimed the lives of her three daughters, identified as six-year-old Klara, three-year-old Lilianna, and one-year-old Mila.

Speaking outside the courthouse a day after Brady Robertson pleaded guilty to four counts of dangerous driving causing death in connection with the deadly crash, the victim’s sister struggled to describe how she was feeling after losing her family.

“It’s just difficult, and to see them taken away by someone so irresponsible and he shows zero remorse,” Anna Martin said.

Martin was often the one taking family portraits, including those sent to the media following her sister’s death. She said that she hasn’t been able to pick up a camera since the crash.

“It just feels too close, like even if I take photographs of random families or portraits, I would always ask her opinion.”

Connie Ciasullo, Karolina’s sister-in-law, said the trial has been challenging for her brother.

“It’s too much for my brother to come and listen and see,” she said. “He’s very strong though thank God. He takes every day, day-by-day.”

According to an agreed statement of facts presented Monday, Robertson went through a red light at Torbram Road and Countryside Drive, driving around stopped cars before travelling into the intersection while being pursued by a marked police vehicle. His Infiniti struck Ciasullo’s vehicle on the driver’s side.

The impact of the collision sent Ciasullo’s vehicle into a hydro pole, which fell on top of the vehicle.

Robertson’s vehicle struck a third car before bursting into flames. He was pulled from the wreckage by emergency crews and transported to the hospital with serious injuries.

While Robertson has pleaded guilty to four charges, he has also pleaded not guilty to four counts of impaired operation causing death by drugs, as well as one count of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle in connection with another collision that took place two days prior in Caledon, Ont.

On Tuesday, numerous Peel Regional Police officers testified in court as to how the June 18 collision was forensically re-constructed, what led to Robertson’s arrest and how drugs were discovered in his vehicle.

According to the agreed statement of facts, officers found a plastic bag with four white pills inside Robertson’s vehicle.

One of the pills was analyzed by Health Canada and was determined to be fentanyl. Officers also found a bag of cannabis, although Staff. Sgt. Gary Carty with the Major Collision’s Bureau testified Tuesday that Robertson was lawfully allowed to have it in his possession and it was simply taken by police during the inventory for safekeeping.

Carty testified that Robertson’s vehicle could not be examined by officers at the scene as a result of the fire. He said there was a significant amount of debris, biological matter as well as water from dousing the fire.

Instead, his vehicle was moved to a towing yard before being transported to fleet services for inspection.

 

Robertson purchased the vehicle 12 days prior to the incident, the agreed statement of facts said, and had yet to register the vehicle or the licence plate in his name.