Edmonton driver pleads guilty in high-speed crash that killed 3
A 26-year-old driver admitted on Friday to killing three passengers and fleeing the scene after he crashed his car into a Starbucks going up to triple the speed limit last July.
Oscar Benjumea pleaded guilty to three counts of dangerous driving causing the death of Emma MacArthur, Georgia Donovan and Faisal Yousef. He also admitted to fleeing the scene, failing to help any of the passengers.
Just after 2 a.m. on July 3, 2020, Benjumea was in his Audi RS5 with the three passengers speeding down Calgary Trail Road, according to an agreed statement of facts. He was driving as fast as 186 km/h in a 60km/h zone.
Benjumea lost control of the car, slid across the road and hit a curb. The car went airborne and smashed into a Starbucks. All three passengers were killed instantly by the force of the crash.
About four minutes later, Benjumea was pulled from the car, although the agreed statement of facts does not say by whom. He fled the scene on foot walking southbound.
Police arrested him at his home in southwest Edmonton — about 13 kilometres from the crash site —10 hours later. He was taken to hospital with serious, non-life threatening injuries.
Benjumea will face a sentencing hearing at a later date in the Court of Queen's Bench in Edmonton.
