Exclusive: Victim Speaks Following Gunpoint Carjacking That Led To Multi-Car Crash

What started as a violent carjacking ended in a violent four-car crash. A day later, two GTA teens were still shaking.

The incident began Saturday afternoon near a Downsview flea market when a boyfriend and girlfriend hopped into their rental Mazda hatchback and were quickly joined by two men, one of whom was armed. The alleged assailants forced their way in and told the pair to drive down Sheppard Avenue.

That’s when things quite literally took a harrowing turn. With a gun to his head, the young driver made a split-second decision. He would crash the car intentionally. The resulting four-car collision may not have been in the plan, but the suspects did take off when the dust settled, leaving their gun behind amidst the mangled metal.

Injuries to those involved in the crash weren’t as extensive as they could have been, but the driver’s girlfriend did suffer seatbelt burns (pictured) and more significantly a woman named Franca, traveling along with her 12-year-old daughter, suddenly found herself trapped in her crumpled Nissan, a fact she holds the driver directly responsible for.

“At the high speed he was going he wasn’t just crashing his car,” she charged.

But on Sunday, the male driver and robbery victim defended the move.

“You wanna shoot me, shoot me,” he recalls thinking. “I’m gonna lose control of this car and we’re all gonna crash together. Done.”

The two teens didn’t want to appear on camera or be identified, but he went on to say the threatening of his female companion played a big part in the risky maneuver.

“They were gonna punch her in the face, they were gonna shoot her, it would be nothing to them to shoot her and leave her there,” he said.

Even with the threats though, Toronto Police Det. Michael Richmond suggested there may have been a more ideal way to handle the scary situation.

“I think there are better decisions that could have been made under the circumstance,” Richmond said.

Still, the 19-year-old driver argues he initially complied with the aggressive robbers, handing over his watch and about $400. He admits the decision was quick and had consequences, but maintains it was a smart one.

“I did not intend to crash into her, I tried to dodge her as much as I could,” he insists. “But when you have a gun put to your head, let’s see what you’re going to do.”

The two suspects are still at large, so if you have any information that can help investigators in this case call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.

And to see Andrea Piunno’s exclusive interview with the young driver, click on the video link.