The driver responsible for the tragic hit-and-run incident that claimed the life of seven-year-old Ukrainian refugee Mariia Legenkovska in Montreal in 2022 has pleaded guilty.
Mariia was fatally struck while walking with her brother and sister to school in a Montreal school zone on December 13, 2022. The driver fled the scene, but Juan Manuel Becerra Garcia turned himself in to police later that day. Initially charged with failing to stop after an accident resulting in death, he was released with conditions.
At the Montreal courthouse on Thursday, Becerra Garcia entered a guilty plea. In a courtroom with Mariia’s mother present, he expressed his profound remorse, admitting that he had been unaware he had hit a person that fateful morning.
Both the Crown prosecutor and Becerra Garcia’s lawyer are advocating for a 12-month sentence to be served in the community, citing his cooperation with authorities and lack of prior convictions.
Mariia’s tragic death spurred widespread grief and demands for improved road safety, particularly in school zones. Following her passing, Montreal’s Ville-Marie borough implemented various traffic-calming measures.
Mariia and her family had recently arrived in Canada as refugees fleeing the conflict in Ukraine. Tragically, her father, serving in Ukraine’s territorial defence forces, had to leave the front lines to lay her to rest. Mariia’s mother, Galyna Legenkovska, described her as a joyful child who had hoped to find a new home in Montreal.
Crown prosecutor Sylvie Dulude emphasized the significance of Mariia’s mother being present for the guilty plea, noting her year-long wait for this moment. The judge will determine sentencing next month.