A 19-year-old Toronto woman turned herself in to authorities Wednesday after video showing her throwing a chair off a high-rise balcony went viral on social media, sparking outrage online.
Marcella Zoia has been charged with mischief endangering life, mischief damaging property under $5,000 and common nuisance, according to a statement from Toronto police obtained by PEOPLE.
The footage was shared widely on social media, resulting in numerous calls to Toronto authorities.
Zoia was released Wednesday on $2,000 bail after a brief court appearance. She did not enter pleas to the charges against her.
A judge ordered her to stay with her mother until her case is resolved, and she has been barred from contacting any of the people who were with her at the time of the incident.
The incident occurred Saturday, according to the police, and the video started making the rounds on social media over the weekend. By Tuesday, police announced they knew who tossed the chair, and recommended she turn herself in.
In the footage, a young blonde woman can be seen picking up a folding chair and hurling it from the balcony. Whoever filmed the incident followed the chair, as it flittered towards a busy highway below.
• Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Click here to get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter.
It landed in front of the condo building’s entrance. No one was hurt.
Zoia and four others rented the apartment on Airbnb.
The company’s spokesman, Ben Breit, called the incident an “abhorrent act” in a statement to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
“We remain outraged by the blatant disregard for community safety on display in the video,” Breit continued. “We have no evidence at this time to suggest that the accused has ever been an Airbnb user, but we have suspended the account of a guest with a reservation at the building pending further review.”
Greg Leslie, Zoia’s lawyer, spoke to the CBC, saying his client “is embarrassed by what happened. She wished it never happened. Of course, she would never wish anyone would be hurt.”
Zoia’s next court appearance is set for March 22.
Source: Read Full Article