A 48-year-old Wasaga Beach man, Jefferson Dance, has been sentenced to eight years in prison for impaired and dangerous driving causing death in a 2022 crash that killed 62-year-old delivery driver Jim Lynne.
The fatal collision happened shortly after midnight on April 9, 2022, when Dance, driving a Tesla Model Y, slammed into the back of Lynne’s Nissan Juke on Mosley Street just moments after leaving a nearby bar. Court evidence showed Dance had between three and four times the legal alcohol limit and was travelling at 196 km/h. Lynne died at the scene, while Dance’s passenger survived.
Justice Mark Edwards called the crash a “needless and avoidable tragedy,” rejecting the defence’s claim that a Tesla malfunction caused the sudden acceleration. He said Dance, a well-educated father and community member, knowingly made reckless choices that could have killed several people.
The Crown sought a 10-year sentence, citing Dance’s past record of impaired and speeding offences, while the defence requested four to five years. Lynne’s family, who attended every court session, expressed relief that Dance received a substantial prison term.
After serving his sentence, Dance will be prohibited from driving for 15 years. Lynne’s family continues to remember him as a caring and selfless man who often gave others rides home to keep them safe.