Man convicted in fatal assault on senior at Vancouver Costco apologizes in court
The man found guilty in the death of a senior outside a Vancouver Costco wiped away tears Tuesday as he told a B.C. Supreme Court judge he’s sorry for what he did.
Thomas Toth, 61, of East Vancouver was convicted of manslaughter last November for his role in the death of Orlando Ocampo, an 86-year-old Vancouver resident.
On Dec. 20, 2017, Toth encountered Ocampo as they both left the Costco on Expo Boulevard. The encounter turned hostile with the pair reportedly swearing at each other.
During Toth’s sentencing hearing on Tuesday, the court heard Ocampo pepper sprayed Toth before walking several metres away from him. Toth approached Ocampo and pushed him, causing the senior to fall and hit his head on the concrete.
Toth fled as bystanders administered first-aid to Ocampo, a grandfather of five who had been married for 63 years. Three weeks later, Ocampo died of his injuries in hospital.
Toth’s lawyer read letters to the courtroom written by his wife and adult daughter. His daughter recalled hearing her dad break down crying when he learned Ocampo succumbed to his injuries. Toth’s wife wrote that her husband couldn’t sleep for months after the encounter, and could often be heard weeping in the living room in the middle of the night.
Toth then addressed the courtroom, delivering a tearful apology. He said he’s sad about what he did, and he wished Ocampo did not die. Wiping away tears, he told the judge he wished none of it ever happened.
Toth’s defence team is asking for a one-year prison sentence, saying the man’s actions were out of character, and being pepper sprayed provoked him. Toth’s lawyer described him as an upstanding citizen with no drug or alcohol problems and no diagnosed mental health issues.
The sentencing hearing was supposed to begin last March, however Toth failed to appear in court. As a result, a Canada-wide warrant was issued for his arrest. He was located in Vancouver and taken into police custody last month.
Crown counsel is seeking a prison sentence of 18 to 24 months following one year of probation, saying Toth skipping his initial sentencing hearing warrants a punishment greater than the one-year term defence is seeking. He’s scheduled to be sentenced on June 29.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
'Sophisticated' cyberattacks detected on B.C. government networks, premier says
There has been a "sophisticated" cybersecurity breach detected on B.C. government networks, Premier David Eby confirmed Wednesday evening.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
Canucks claw out 5-4 comeback win over Oilers in Game 1
Dakota Joshua had a goal and two assists and the Vancouver Canucks scored three third-period goals to claw out a 5-4 comeback victory over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 1 of their second-round playoff series Wednesday.
Nijjar murder suspect says he had Canadian study permit in immigration firm's video
One of the Indian nationals accused of murdering British Columbia Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar says in a social media video that he received a Canadian study permit with the help of an Indian immigration consultancy.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.