When Bryant hit his brakes, the vehicle stalled. Peck said Bryant was trying to get away and attempted to get his car started when it stalled again, causing it to lurch forward. That was when "Mr. Bryant's vehicle came close to or in contact with the rear wheel of Mr. Sheppard's bike," Peck said.
This is from the Toronto Star article. It defies logic. A vehicle stalling is rare enough, especially if one is not been drinking, Bryant stalling the vehicle and then "lurching forward" and striking someone shows a complete lack of control of your vehicle or a complete falsehood. You could only lurch forward with stalling if it was in gear - and on a modern Saab with saftey features it would be nearly impossible. On its very face the story as reported by the special person brought in, doesn't add up, but it is clear the benefit of the doubt went to Bryant without even a trial to verify the stories. If this was any other poor working slob the book would have been tossed at them. Special treatment doesn't even come close to describing this. Bryant and Jaffer should start a get out of jail free company in their post run in with the law careers.
I hate to quote myself but I just finished viewing the youtube video and the description offered by Peck defies what can be seen with your own eyes. Bryant is back from the corner by a fair ways. Sheppard pulls in front. Bryant's car lurches forward once coming very close to Sheppard, perhaps even hitting him a bit, although not hard. It then lurches forward (no smooth acceleration is this) and clearly smacks Sheppard causing him to fall. At that point Bryant backs up and then turns his car slightly and accelerates rapidly.
So leaving aside anything that happened during the ensuing altercation, or who might have been at fault in the events that transpired afterwards, Bryant's own testimony and the Crown's acceptance of it contradicts eyewitness and video evidence. On the very face of it Bryant should have been charged with careless driving from the incident before he sped off with Sheppard 'latched on'. That he wasn't is the clearest indication that he received special treatment that no one else, certainly not Sheppard would receive.