The family of two men who were killed in a horrific collision on Highway 401 near Port Hope in 2017 spoke to Today’s Northumberland shortly after a Brampton man was sentenced to prison in Superior Court in Cobourg on Thursday, June 8, 2021.
Todd Gardiner (age 26) from Newcastle and Michael Glazier (age 35) from Guelph died when the pickup they were in was struck by a transport truck on the eastbound lanes of Highway 401 on August 3, 2017 at approximately 10 p.m.
Baljinder Singh (age 56 at the time of the collision) plead guilty to two counts of dangerous driving causing death and was sentenced to three years in jail for each death with the sentence to run concurrent. Singh was also given a five year driving prohibition.
Shortly after the verdict Singh was placed in handcuffs and taken out of the courtroom.
The families of both men slowly made their way outside the Courthouse where they hugged and consoled each other as best they could wiping away tears wearing t-shirts with a photo of both men and the words, “Mike & Todd – Always In Our Hearts.”
The Crown Attorney was present speaking with family members.
Gardiner and Glazier were on their way to a weekend getaway celebrating Gardiner’s fathers birthday around the Kingston area.
Pauline Gardiner said her son Todd and his cousin Michael had stopped in to her house in Newcastle on the way to the family cottage near Kingston the day they were killed.
“They were laughing at my house saying we’re going up to see dad on his birthday.”
“I said, “have a good time.”
“Mike was carrying his brand new golf clubs and Todd was carrying his birthday gift to his father (Toronto Maple Leafs sweater).”
His father never got his birthday present.
It was after 11 p.m. that Todd’s mother received a knock on her front door.
She was in bed at the time. Because the time of evening, she grabbed her cell phone just in case.
“It was two policeman standing there and my heart just sunk.”
“I knew there was something.”
“When they asked, “does your son drive a black truck?”
“And I said “yes.”
“I could feel my legs going down (giving way).”
“And they said, “he’s been in a crash on the 401 and he’s dead.”
“I just fell to the floor.”
Shortly after she broke the news to her husband in Kingston.
Both families agree the three year sentence was not enough.
With the sentence to run concurrently, it means Gardiner and Glazier’s life amount to 1.5 years.
With good behaviour, likely less than that.
Pauline said their family was sentenced to life without their son.
“We’re glad he got three years and he’s going to the penitentiary.
“But he needed more.”
“They were good boys. Todd was a very safe driver.
“They were happy. Always happy those two. They loved their family. They just didn’t deserve it. And the way – they were set on fire.”
Pauline said her son taught hockey and ball hockey. His friends have told her without Todd, they wouldn’t be playing.
“One of his friends said that he thought Todd would live forever because he was such a great guy.”
“People told me later on, “when we met Todd, we knew that we would never forget him. He was unforgettable.”
“Mike had the biggest heart going. He loved everybody. He’d always put an arm around you if you were sad. And he made you laugh.”
“We will never forget them and we will always love them and we can’t get over this – we are living in a nightmare.”
“We miss them terribly. Nothing will change the way we fell and nothing will bring them back.”
Todd’s father Terry said adamantly that truck drivers need better training.
“They come into this country and basically pay for their license and their on the road behind a weapon.”
Terry said with the size of the trucks they can cause, “mass destruction.”
“Thirty-years ago truckers were the best drivers on the road – nowadays no.”
Nicole McGee lived with Gardiner and found out after his death he’d planned to marry her.
“I found out after he was killed from April (Mike Glazier’s fiancé) that he had been texting Mike asking him where he should go and buy an engagement ring.”
“Because of how much his mom wanted him to have a wife and have kids we all figured he was probably going to propose on Christmas but I never got to experience it – I never will,” said McGee.
“It’s not a journey – it’s a nightmare. Everyday I go to sleep alone every morning I wake up alone and on days like this all I want is him and I can’t have him – ever.”
“So I have to come here and I have to sit and not have my other half holding me and making me feel better because he’s the one that’s gone. Because someone decided they would drive recklessly because getting there sooner was more important than peoples lives.”
McGee holds on to the thought that if both cousins may have saved lives that evening because of the type of truck they were in. It was a large Chevy Silverado.
“If they weren’t there, the cars that were ahead would have been crushed completely and more people would have died.”
McGee says that three years for two lives is not enough.
“We have to go now the rest of our lives, without my partner, without his children, without our home – forever.”
As far as Singh’s written apology that was submitted to court, none of the family is buying it.
“He should have read it in his own language, the interpreter should have interpreted it,” said Pauline.
McGee is more direct.
“I don’t believe he wrote it because he didn’t even want to read it.”
“If you’re that apologetic as he claims to be, he would have read it.”
“And he would have wanted to look at us and read it and apologize.”
“But instead he passed the piece of paper to the court and said oh that’s my written apology. There is just no remorse anywhere in him in any of the moments we were in court – ever.”
April McGauley was the finace of Michel Glazier.
She stated Thursday was a day of closure for her, but she is still reeling from it.
Like other family members she was looking for answers to why it happened.
“If other truck drivers were able to slow down and saw the traffic, then why didn’t he? I don’t think we’ll ever have an answer.”
In a few short weeks it with mark the forth year of their deaths.
“He’ll (Singh) will be in jail for less time then the amount of time Todd and Mike have been dead.”
The couple had planned to be married on June 16, 2018.
“Instead of planning for a wedding I had to plan for a funeral.”
One thing all members of both families agreed on about the sentencing.
“It’s never enough.”
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
