It's been more than two weeks since a crash at a south-end Barrie intersection seriously injured three people, and the woman accused of impaired driving causing bodily harm is still in custody while she awaits a bail hearing.
Cassie Korzenko, 32, of Barrie, has been awaiting a bail hearing since being charged with three counts of impaired driving causing bodily harm in connection to the collision on the evening of Thursday, Dec. 1 in front of Sadlon Arena, at Mapleview and Bayview drives.
Korzenko made an in-person appearance on Friday at the Barrie courthouse for the first time. All of her other appearances have been by video from the Central North Correctional Centre in Penetanguishene.
Given the option of a duty counsel hearing on Monday or waiting for her counsel to be present for a bail hearing, Korzenko chose to wait.
Her counsel, who stated he had not yet been formally retained, told the court he would be unavailable to do a bail hearing for “at least a week and a half.”
The court decided to bring Korzenko back on Monday, Dec. 19 by video remand.
The lawyer representing Korzenko had also asked about a potential publication ban on the case, based on ages of the victims, but because they are all older than 18, no publication ban was granted. Korzenko’s counsel said he would speak with her over the weekend and may seek a publication ban on other grounds.
At approximately 6:30 p.m. Dec. 1, Barrie police responded to the intersection of Mapleview and Bayview drives for a serious collision involving numerous pedestrians who had been struck by a vehicle.
Police say the three people were hit by a vehicle travelling south on Bayview Drive. The vehicle then collided with two other vehicles, whose occupants were uninjured.
Korzenko was arrested at the scene and taken to a local hospital.
Two of the pedestrians were airlifted to a Toronto-area trauma centre, with one suffering serious and potentially life-threatening injuries. The third pedestrian was taken to a local hospital and was also later flown to a Toronto hospital.
Empower Simcoe, which provides services to people with physical and intellectual disabilities, previously confirmed one of the victims was a worker with the organization and the two others were athletes who have been involved with Special Olympics.
The victims are a 52-year-old female staff member and two male clients, aged 53 and 44.
On Friday afternoon, an Empower Simcoe representative told BarrieToday there were no further updates on the health of the three pedestrians, but they remain in hospital and their conditions have been improving.
