Driver in fatal TTC bus crash charged 

By Chris Doucette , Don Peat

The TTC bus driver at the wheel in a crash that killed one passenger and injured 13 others is now facing criminal charges.
Toronto Police arrested the 51-year-old driver from the fatal August TTC crash on Wednesday morning.
William Ainsworth is charged with criminal negligence causing death and possession of cannabis.
The accused appeared at Old City Hall court Wednesday afternoon and was released to his wife on $20,000 bail.
“Officers from the traffic services unit conducted a thorough investigation,” Toronto Police Const. Tony Vella said of the six-week probe. “As a result the appropriate charges were laid.”
He was unable to comment further now that the matter is before the courts, Vella said.
Aisnworth was driving a bus along Lawrence Ave. E. near the on-ramp to the Don Valley Pkwy. when the vehicle ran into the back of a truck-mounted crane, police said at the time of the collision.
Investigators alleged the TTC driver may have been attempting to change lanes at the time.
Jadrenka Petrova, a married mother of two, was killed while 13 other passengers were hurt in the crash.
Petrova’s body was sent back to her native Macedonia for burial and her family’s lawyer has said there will be a lawsuit against the TTC.
Ainsworth’s lawyer refused to comment at the courthouse after her client was freed on bail.
The Scarborough resident, will be back in court Nov. 28. As part of his bail conditions he has been ordered to abstain from using drugs and not to operate any motor vehicles.
He is currently suspended from his job at the TTC.
Spokesman Brad Ross said Ainsworth is not currently driving buses for the TTC.
But he was tight-lipped about whether Ainsworth was still employed by the TTC.
“His employment status has to remain confidential at this time,” Ross said.
He also said he couldn’t reveal if Ainsworth was still being paid by the TTC.
“That’s not something I can get into at this point,” Ross said.
A separate TTC investigation into the crash is ongoing and the commission is co-operating with police, he said.
“We obviously take this very, very seriously,” Ross said.