As I emerged from the provincial courthouse yesterday, the rain seemed fitting for the somber news I carried. Three children – siblings Daniel, 11, Kassandra, 7, and Walter Galve, 5 – lost their lives when a suspected drunk driver plowed into their family’s minivan in north Toronto Sunday evening.
“I’ve covered many tragedies, but nothing prepares you for the sight of three small coffins,” said Teresa Martinez, the children’s aunt, her voice breaking as we spoke outside the family’s Etobicoke home. “They were just going for ice cream.”
According to Toronto Police Service records I reviewed, the collision occurred at approximately 5:30 p.m. at the intersection of Weston Road and Sheppard Avenue West when a BMW sedan traveling at what witnesses described as “highway speeds” ran a red light and struck the passenger side of the Galve family’s vehicle.
Court documents show the driver, 37-year-old Kenneth Morris, faces three counts of impaired driving causing death, three counts of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing death, and one count of impaired driving causing bodily harm. The children’s mother, Lavina Galve, 36, survived but remains in critical condition at Sunnybrook Hospital.
“The preliminary breath test administered at the scene showed a blood alcohol concentration more than twice the legal limit,” explained Detective Sergeant Carlos Marquez of the Toronto Police Traffic Services. “We’re still awaiting toxicology reports to confirm if other substances were involved.”
This crash represents a heartbreaking milestone in Toronto’s road safety statistics. Data from the city’s Vision Zero portal indicates this is the deadliest impaired driving incident involving children in over a decade.
“What makes this case particularly devastating is that the driver had a previous impaired conviction from 2018,” said Crown Attorney Danielle Morrison after yesterday’s bail hearing. Morris was denied bail and will remain in custody until his next court appearance on July 12.
The Galve family moved to Canada from the Philippines in 2017 seeking better opportunities for their children. Daniel had recently won a mathematics competition at his school. Kassandra was known for her artistic talent. The youngest, Walter, had just started kindergarten.
“They were the future of our family,” said Roberto Galve, the children’s father, who was at work when the crash occurred. “How do you rebuild after losing everything?”
Community members have created a memorial at the crash site, with stuffed animals, flowers, and children’s drawings accumulating by the hour. A GoFundMe campaign organized by the Filipino-Canadian Association of North York has raised over $87,000 to help with funeral expenses and medical costs.
The case has renewed calls for stronger penalties for impaired driving. MADD Canada spokesperson Jennifer Carlton told me their organization has been advocating for mandatory alcohol interlock devices for all convicted drunk drivers and increased roadside testing.
“These deaths were entirely preventable,” Carlton said. “How many more families need to be destroyed before we take serious action?”
After reviewing Morris’s court history, I discovered his 2018 conviction resulted in a one-year driving prohibition and a $1,200 fine. Legal experts I consulted noted that Canada’s impaired driving penalties were strengthened in 2018, but questions remain about enforcement and prevention.
“The Criminal Code provisions for impaired driving are robust, but detection and consistent application of consequences are challenges,” explained Professor Alan Davidson, a criminal justice researcher at Ryerson University. “Approximately 65% of impaired drivers will reoffend without appropriate intervention.”
Toronto Police data shows impaired driving charges increased 19% in the city last year, with weekend evenings representing the highest risk periods. Sunday’s crash occurred during what traffic safety analysts call the “danger zone” – late afternoon when weekend social drinking intersects with family activities.
The funeral for the three Galve children is scheduled for Saturday at St. Michael’s Cathedral Basilica. Their mother remains unaware of their deaths due to her medical condition.
As I left the Galve home yesterday, Roberto handed me a school photo of his three children. “Please,” he said, “tell people to think before they drink and drive. Tell them about my children.”
Sometimes journalism requires more than just reporting facts. It demands that we carry the weight of stories too heavy for one family to bear alone. The Galve family’s tragedy isn’t just a headline – it’s a reminder of how quickly lives can be shattered by one person’s reckless decision.
