Family identifies Kingston woman killed by alleged speeding impaired driver on Highway 401 - Global News

The family of a Kingston, Ont. woman killed on Highway 401 in Whitby in a multi-vehicle collision caused by an alleged impaired speeding driver is speaking out.

In a tearful interview with Global News, the sister of Nataly Tucci says she wants her sister’s name published and her story told.

“She had a name and she has a face and a beautiful face. People should know who she is and people should know the life that was lost,” said Tucci’s sister Oricia Maletic, through tears.

It was 7:10 p.m. on Sunday when the Ontario Provincial Police say they responded to a three-vehicle collision on Highway 401 westbound near Thickson Road.

The OPP says the rear-end type crash resulted in two of the vehicles catching fire. Tucci was pronounced dead on scene.

Two other individuals were transported to hospital with minor injuries.

Police say the driver of one of the vehicles involved in the collision, 20-year-old Jaxon Christie of Lincoln, was arrested and charged with dangerous driving causing death, impaired driving causing death and operation of a vehicle with excess blood over 80 mg of alcohol in 100 ml of blood.

Maletic says her sister, who worked as a graphic designer and the assistant art director at the Director’s Guild of Canada, was commuting to Toronto for work Monday morning. Tucci had started working in Toronto in July but returned to Kingston on weekends to see her fiance.

“They finally got engaged and now his world is completely shattered,” Maletic said.

While Maletic said she and her sister Tucci had fallen out of touch, she remained connected because Tucci spoke to their 83-year-old mother almost every day.

“She was so talented and she was a kind soul. She touched so many lives and she was a good person trying to make a living,” said Maletic.

“My mom, in her grief, you replay things and how could this have been avoided. My mom says, ‘she always texts me when she gets there’ and she was debating going Sunday night or Monday morning or maybe earlier Sunday. It was just, all those decisions, those little things that you think maybe if that would have changed, she would still be there,” said Maletic.

Tucci’s sister has seen dash camera video that was sent to her by another driver who was driving on Highway 401 westbound near Thickson Road just 30 seconds before the collision.

“You can clearly see the white car speeding, driving erratically and then all the cars come to a stop and then, you just see the cars engulfed in flames,” said Maletic, choking back tears. She explained that her sister was so badly burned that she needs to be identified through dental records.

She says there is no excuse for driving impaired.

“You will ruin your life and you will ruin the life of other people that have absolutely nothing to do with your poor choices,” said Maletic. “Grab a cab. Grab an Uber.  If you don’t have any money to do that than wait it out. Don’t do this. Just don’t be stupid.”

Christie remains in custody. A bail hearing is scheduled for Monday in Oshawa.