Who Is Marcella Zoia? New Details About The Instagram Influencer Who Threw A Chair Off A Balcony And Into Traffic
Her lawyer said she was "under a lot of pressure."
Facebook A Toronto woman turned herself in to authorities after a video of her throwing a chair off a high-rise balcony and into traffic below went viral.
The recording shows Marcella Zoia, 19, tossing a chair from a 45th-floor condo balcony and follows the chair as it whirled into oncoming traffic on a nearby highway and landed near the entrance of the building. No one was hurt. The video, which was posted with the caption "Good morning," quickly spread over the weekend and public outrage ensued in the comments.
"Reckless and stupid," wrote one person.
"People could have died," another said.
Police announced that they knew who was responsible for throwing the chair and suggested that she turn herself in immediately. Zoia surrendered herself to Toronto authorities Wednesday morning and faces multiple charges, according to Toronto police.
So who is Marcella Zoia? Here is what we know.
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1. She faces three charges.
Zoia has been charged with mischief endangering life, mischief damaging property under $5,000 and common nuisance, according to a statement from Toronto police. She was released on $2,000 bail and ordered to live with her mother, City News reported. Zoia cannot have any contact with the other individuals involved in the alleged incident.
"She is embarrassed by what happened. She wished it never happened. Of course, she would never wish anyone would be hurt," Greg Leslie, Zoia's lawyer, told the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation of the teen. He also said that she was "embarrassed" and felt the incident was a "mistake."
She is scheduled to appear in court again on March 22. After she left her first court appearance, she was photographed smiling with a Starbucks cup in her hand. She also cheerfully greeted the flock of reporters who gathered around her, ready to ask some questions. Seems like this budding Instagram star is enjoying her newfound fame — even if it was for throwing a chair off of a balcony and essentially endangering the lives of tons of drivers and passersby below.
"I knew this was going to happen. She will serve absolutely no jail time and will probably get talk show appearances and a book deal." wrote one person on Reddit with another demanding for the media to "stop giving her attention." She has since been dubbed "Toronto Chair Girl."
2. She rented the apartment on Airbnb.
According to the CBC, Zoia rented the apartment on Airbnb. The company's spokesperson Ben Breit issued a statement to the news outlet regarding the incident saying The Toronto police have Airbnb's full support in the investigation "of any individuals involved with this abhorrent act."
“We remain outraged by the blatant disregard for community safety on display in the video,” Breit said. “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.”
3. She deleted her social media accounts.
Since the chair-throwing situation, Zoia has deleted her Facebook and Instagram accounts. Prior to its deletion, her Instagram "@Marcellacz_" had close to 4,000 followers and just over 100 posts.
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4. She has had run-ins with the law in the past.
CTV’s Adrian Ghobrial reported that a source said Zoia "has a criminal history," but did not elaborate on the claim.
5. Toronto's mayor hopes this can be a lesson.
Mayor John Tory told the CBC that he hopes a lesson can be learned from Zoia's behavior and the consequences of her actions.
"This is irresponsible behavior that is unacceptable," he said. "It was not just a lark gone bad. It was grossly irresponsible behavior that could have caused serious injury and death."
The Toronto police said that this was the highest-reported case on social media ever.
Instagram (now deleted)
Sarah Gangraw writes about all things news, entertainment and crime. You can follow her on Instagram and Twitter.