A gunman who blinded a TTC bus driver hailed his victim as "an innocent hero who showed tremendous bravery" on the job.
"You showed great strength and courage which are two things I really admire," a sad-faced Malcolm Chalmers told ex-driver Jaime Pereira at the sentencing hearing where the 23-year-old gunman was slammed with an additional nine years in prison for his callous crimes.
"No person on this Earth deserves what has happened to you and I'm very ashamed of being found guilty of this crime. I'm sorry for bringing all this pain to your lives and I pray that you can forgive me," said Chalmers, reading from a hand-written note moments before Justice Eugene Ewaschuk passed sentence.
"Losing your eyesight ... is an outright tragedy and shameful act," Chalmers said.
Defence lawyer Mary Cremer said her client's "genuine" apology was written solely by him and came "straight from the heart."
After the apology, the judge said tough prison sentences would discourage gunmen such as Chalmers from preying upon "vulnerable TTC drivers and passengers.
"Toronto is plagued with gun violence," Ewaschuk said in sentencing "Buck" Chalmers to a total of 11 years -- including two already served -- for aggravated assault and using a firearm during the Oct. 15, 2005 incident.
"This emotional loss has devastated my family and ruined my career as an urban transit operator," snarled Pereira, reading his victim impact statement, held centimetres from his face due to his impaired sight.
"Mr. Chalmers, when shooting me, had no thoughts he was shooting my whole family," said Pereira, a 45-year-old father of a 14-year-old autistic son and 5-year-old daughter.
Pereira, who is blind in one eye and has "peripheral vision" in the other, said he lives in constant fear he'll be completely blind one day.
The driver was shot after a fight erupted on his bus, which had stopped at Morningside Ave. and Sewells Rd., south of Finch Ave.
The bullet that struck Pereira entered his right cheek and exited through his left, shattering his jaw, cheekbone and eye socket. His left eye was removed and his right eye was damaged beyond repair.
Forensic testing determined the Browning 9mm handgun that blinded Pereira was used in four other serious shootings, including the murder of youth worker Kempton Howard, 24, in 2003.
Chalmers was arrested in January 2008 after his ex-girlfriend claimed he had confessed the shooting to her.
At the time of Chalmers' arrest, he was in custody in Durham Region, accused of an unrelated kidnapping and attempted murder. He'll stand trial for those charges in March.
SAM.PAZZANO@SUNMEDIA.CA
