Woman involved in fatal crash found guilty of criminal negligence

Among those who testified were the drivers of all three vehicles involved; Walker’s boyfriend, who was in the car with her; a woman parked at the intersection where the crash occurred; and a forensic pathologist.

Daniella Clarke had a young son. (Arbor Memorial)

The events that led to Clarke’s death started about 30 minutes prior on the opposite side of the city. And while there were different explanations as to what caused the crash, all those who testified agreed that the end result was tragic.

Kayla Walker

Walker, who testified in her own defence, recalled how on the night of the crash, she and her common law partner Justin Bayko, had gone out in their GMC Envoy to get some food.

“I don’t drink or do drugs,” she told defence lawyer Ian Goldberg when asked if she was sober that night.

Walker explained they were heading south on 15th Avenue East when they noticed a white SUV following close behind with its high beams on. The driver (Christina Vlahos), who was not known to Walker, attempted to pass on the left side.

“I didn’t want to cause an accident,” Walker said.

The two vehicles proceeded south before turning right at 28th Street, and then right again at 10th Avenue East.

Near Fraser Place, Walker stopped the vehicle, grabbed a tire iron she had inside the SUV, and began walking towards the other vehicle that had stopped a few feet away. Bayko told Walker to ‘forget about it’ in an effort to avoid confrontation, so Walker got back into her vehicle. She testified that upon doing so, the driver of the other vehicle (Vlahos) came over, opened the driver’s door and punched her in the face.

“I was like really terrified.” “She said, ‘You think you’re (expletive) tough (expletive).’,” Walker recalled.

The altercation occurred in this residential neighbourhood in Prince Albert’s Crescent Heights area. (Nigel Maxwell/ paNOW Staff)

During this time, a third vehicle pulled up and after parking between the two vehicles at the scene, the driver, who was Vlahos’s husband Jamie Charles, engaged in a physical altercation with Bayko.

Eventually, Walker and Bayko got back in their vehicle and drove off; however, the white SUV driven by Vlahos, and the red truck driven by Charles followed.

At the intersection of 15th Street and Sixth Avenue East, Walker stopped at the red light and signalled she was turning left. The red truck pulled up beside her, and the driver (Charles) got out, and attempted to break her passenger side window.

Unsuccessful, he got back into his truck, and after the light turned green, he headed north.

Both Walker and Vlahos headed west and turned left at the Central Avenue viaduct. Walker testified she asked her partner to call police, but was instructed to try “outrun” them.

Estimating she was doing speeds of 60 to 70 km/hr, Walker raced south on Central Ave, ignoring the four-way stop at 22nd Street and continued towards the next set of lights. Claiming her vision was blurred after being punched in the face, and feeling scared for her life, Walker did not stop at the red light.

“I thought I could make it,” she said through tears.

Seconds later the car slammed into a westbound Mustang. The impact caused Walker’s vehicle to spin 180 degrees. The Mustang ended up on a nearby apartment property.

Throughout the trial, Walker had a supporter in the court room. (Nigel Maxwell/ paNOW Staff)

Christina Vlahos

Christina Vlahos, the driver of the white SUV following Walker, testified when she was driving south on 15th Avenue East, she saw the GMC Envoy swerving all over the road. She stated the driver was brake checking her and someone tossed a drink cup from the passenger window and gave her the middle finger.

Believing at first it was drunk teenagers, Vlahos proceeded to call 911. Further down the road, she said the passenger leaned out the window and while waving a tire iron, yelled back at her.

“I’m gonna (expletive) kill you … you dumb (expletive),” she said.

While still on the phone with the emergency dispatcher, Vlahos continued to follow the Envoy down 15th Avenue and then west on 28th Street, passing a number of parked vehicles.

“They almost side-swiped almost every vehicle,” Vlahos testified.

Discussing the altercation that occurred at Fraser Place, Vlahos recalled how the Envoy parked in the middle of the street, and both occupants got out.

“She was banging the crowbar on the ground and said I’m gonna (expletive) you up,” she said.

With respect to the physical altercation thar occurred with Walker, Vlahos claimed it was Walker who came over to her vehicle, reached in and grabbed her cell phone.

After cancelling the call to the dispatcher, Walker tossed the phone back at Vlahos’s, striking her in the chest, and then walked away.

When Walker drove off, Vlahos followed and again called police. When asked in court why she didn’t go home and let police handle it, Vlahos explained she did not want Walker to get away.

With respect to the latter events that occurred on Central Ave., Vlahos said she remained multiple feet behind the Envoy and added when they approached the final intersection, Walker never tried to brake.

“She didn’t even hesitate,” she said.

Still on the phone with the dispatcher, Vlahos told them they would need to send an ambulance.

Daniella Clarke was living in Prince Albert, but had connections to Southend. (Facebook)

Justin Bayko

During the altercation at Fraser Place, Bayko said he saw Walker pull the tire iron from the back seat and then hold it at her thigh as she walked towards the other vehicle.

“The SUV started backing up,” he said. “I told Kayla don’t bother with it, just forget it”

When the red truck pulled up, Bayko thought it was help arriving, and he approached the driver.

“He said he couldn’t hear me, come a little closer.”

Bayko said he was then grabbed by the throat. The driver opened their door and proceeded to further assault Bayko applying a headlock, demanding to know why he had thrown a drink out the window.

“I couldn’t breathe,” Bayko said.

After elbowing his attacker in the stomach, Bayko, who had a bloody nose, was able to run back to the Envoy. At 15th Street and Sixth Avenue, when the red truck pulled up beside the Envoy, Bayko recalled Charles banging on his window.

“He called me a goof and to (expletive) off.”

When asked to describe Walker’s state of mind during the drive throughout the city, Bayko said she was scared. When asked why he did not call police, he said it was because he was not in the right frame of mind, and thought because he did not have any minutes on his phone, he would not be able to call 9-1-1.

“I didn’t wanna get attacked again,” he said when asked why they didn’t just stop at a busy parking lot of the police station.

At the intersection of 28th Street and Central, Bayko said Walker tried to swerve but was too late. After the crash, Kayla passed out at the wheel, and Bayko confirmed they stayed in the vehicle until police arrived.

The speed limit for the stretch of Central Ave. between 22nd and 28th Street is clearly marked. (Nigel Maxwell/ paNOW Staff)

David Larsen (the driver of the Mustang)

David Larsen and his girlfriend Daniella Clark were on their way to a gas station to purchase a charger for Daniella’s phone.

They had almost cleared the intersection at Central Avenue and 28th Street when Larsen looked to his right and saw bright headlights.

“I couldn’t react or do anything because it was so fast,” he explained.

A southbound SUV driven by Walker had sped past the lone car parked at the intersection and ran the red light, t-boning Larsen’s car.

The impact from the crash forced Larsen’s vehicle up onto a yard at the nearby Bryant Place apartments.

“I could almost touch the guy’s front door out my window,” Larsen said.

Larsen managed to untangle himself from the fence and emerged from the car. When he checked on Clarke, she was slumped over and not moving. Larsen who initially believed she was just unconscious, received tragic news from paramedics.

“They told me she was gone”

Larsen, who was transported to hospital, suffered fractures and a broken rib. He continues to deal with long-term injuries to his neck and shoulder, but explained the emotional pain is still there, and he still sees Clarke sitting beside him.

“It’s a lot of anguish,” he said. “You can’t forget it.”

According to forensic pathologist Derek Musgrove, the official cause of Clarke’s death was blunt force trauma to the neck and Clarke died instantly. Her funeral was held five days later.

Bystanders

Another of the Crown’s witnesses was the woman behind the wheel of the parked vehicle at the intersection where the crash occurred. Lori Simonot recalled hearing the loud rev of an engine and, soon after, saw the SUV driven by Walker pass by on her passenger side.

“Our vehicle shook,” she said.

Simonot testified the westbound vehicle was moving at a normal speed limit. After the crash, she saw Walker fall out of the vehicle and to the ground.

“She looked pretty shook up,” she said.

What’s next?

Walker’s sentencing hearing has been scheduled to begin April 15.

Christina Vlahos’s trial at Court of King’s Bench has been scheduled for December. The 31-year-old was charged with criminal negligence causing death and also assault on Walker.

After the collision, police also arrested and charged Vlahos’s husband Jamie Charles and charged him with assault causing bodily harm. He has since entered a guilty plea and received six months probation.

—

nigel.maxwell@pattisonmedia.com

On X: @nigelmaxwell

by Nigel Maxwell

Woman involved in fatal crash found guilty of criminal negligence

What's Trending