Two grandparents and their toddler grandchild have been killed on a busy stretch of Freeway 401 on Monday night time after a van being chased by police east of Toronto crashed whereas going the incorrect method, inflicting a multi-vehicle collision.
The crash – which additionally left the individual within the suspect van deceased – raised questions in regards to the police pursuit that had been triggered by an alleged liquor retailer theft, as Ontario’s police watchdog started its investigation into what occurred.
“It was a really big collision scene, and we’re still trying to get to the bottom of how many vehicles, how were they involved, where people were from,” Monica Hudon, a spokeswoman for the Particular Investigations Unit, mentioned at a information convention Tuesday.
“As part of the investigation, we are going to look into the pursuit. When it started, where it started, what transpired.”
The SIU mentioned an off-duty police officer first reported an alleged theft at an LCBO in Clarington, Ont., round 7:50 p.m. Monday to Durham Area police. Officers then discovered a cargo van of curiosity and started pursuing it, the watchdog mentioned.
“Officers followed the cargo van through numerous streets in Durham region as the vehicle drove erratically,” Hudon mentioned.
Police continued their pursuit because the van bought onto Freeway 401 close to Stevenson Highway and started travelling west in eastbound lanes, she mentioned.
About 20 minutes after the chase started, there was a crash involving six autos, Hudon mentioned.
“Three individuals from a civilian vehicle were pronounced deceased at the scene, and in that vehicle were a 60-year-old, a 55-year-old, and an infant,” Hudon mentioned, including that the toddler was the grandchild of the adults killed.
She mentioned one other individual was taken to the hospital with critical accidents.
The SIU, which invokes its mandate any time a police officer has been concerned in a critical damage, dying or sexual assault, mentioned it’s investigating the circumstances of the crash and what led to it, together with the police pursuit.
Hudon mentioned she didn’t know if the police pursuit was known as off or if officers have been requested to tug again earlier than the suspect van bought onto the freeway.
“It’s still really early stages,” she mentioned, including that police insurance policies round pursuits can be a part of what’s examined. “We will be getting communications, recordings, doing interviews to figure out what happened, when and why.”
Hudon didn’t have additional details about the grandparents and toddler killed.
Daniel Brown, a Toronto-based legal defence lawyer, mentioned police in Ontario are required by legislation to weigh the dangers to the general public earlier than participating in a high-speed chase.
“Car chases are the staple of action movies, but they’re not supposed to happen in real life because of the risks vehicle pursuits pose to the public at large,” he mentioned in a cellphone interview. “And this law requires the police to disengage when the risks outweigh the rewards.”
Brown mentioned police additionally want to think about options accessible earlier than beginning a excessive pace pursuit of a automobile and wish to think about the suspect and the sort of alleged crime concerned.
Within the case of what occurred Monday night time, on condition that the alleged crime was a liquor retailer theft, Brown argued that police “put everyone in harm’s way by engaging this particular pursuit on one of Canada’s busiest highways.”
“They simply either underestimated the risk to the public or failed to consider the risk to the public when they engaged in this high speed chase,” he mentioned.
“It’s a tragic situation and this is something that could have been entirely prevented. That’s frustrating. It’s devastating for the families.”
In a written assertion issued Tuesday afternoon, Durham Area police mentioned the incident “has had a profound impact” on its neighborhood and members.
“We understand there are many questions, however there is a legislated process regarding investigations conducted by the SIU that our service must adhere to,” it wrote.
“DRPS is fully cooperating with the SIU and as such are unable to make a public statement on this incident.”
Ontario Premier Doug Ford known as the crash “heart wrenching” throughout an unrelated information convention Tuesday morning.
“My heart goes out to the family and my condolences go out to them,” he mentioned.
“When you see everyone from a grandfather to a little baby, the loss of lives because someone decides to rob a liquor store and go on the other side of the highway, it’s a tragedy.”
