Judge Throws Out Gun Evidence After Toronto Police Ram Scooter Riders Outside Whitby Canadian Tire

 Judge Throws Out Gun Evidence After Toronto Police Ram Scooter Riders Outside Whitby Canadian Tire

Dramatic surveillance footage from a Canadian Tire parking lot has led to a significant court ruling after Toronto police used an unmarked vehicle to take down two men on an electric scooter.On June 25, 2024, officers were attempting to arrest Trayvon Palmer for breaching bail conditions when they spotted him riding a scooter with Paul Lewis. What followed was a chaotic and aggressive interception that a judge later criticized.According to court proceedings, one officer radioed a suggestion to “block them in and take them right now.” Const. Joshua Baksh responded by accelerating his unmarked police vehicle directly into the moving scooter, launching both riders into the air. Multiple surveillance cameras captured the violent impact. Baksh then chased one suspect through the store’s garden centre, while Lewis was struck a second time by another police vehicle. A handgun was dislodged during the collision, and Lewis was seriously injured — suffering spinal fractures, rib fractures, and other trauma requiring hospitalization.

Court DecisionLewis’s defence argued the force used was arbitrary and excessive, noting that Lewis himself was not wanted by police and had committed no observed crime at the time. The judge agreed, ruling that the takedown violated Lewis’s Charter rights. As a result, the gun evidence was excluded from court.Lewis was ultimately convicted only on a bail compliance violation. Charges against Palmer were withdrawn by the Crown.Const. Baksh was charged by the Special Investigations Unit and pleaded guilty to assault. He continues to work for the Toronto Police Service in a non-public role pending any internal discipline.The incident has drawn criticism from police accountability advocates, with one former Toronto mayor suggesting officers may be taking cues from action movies rather than proper procedure.