Driver was going nearly triple the speed limit when he ran red light, causing deadly collision in Scarborough: SIU

July 11, 2024 Canuck

A 19-year-old driver was travelling nearly triple the speed limit when he ran a red light, causing a fatal multi-vehicle collision in Scarborough in March, the province’s police watchdog has found.

On Thursday, the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) released its report into the crash that happened in the area of Markham Road and Milner Avenue on the morning of March 13 that left the 19-year-old dead and a 50-year-old man with serious injuries.

One person died and another suffered life-threatening injuries after a crash near Markham Road and Milner Avenue on Wednesday, March 13, 2024. (Courtney Heels/ CP24)

According to the SIU, the 19-year-old was driving a Mercedes-Benz SUV, which police determined was stolen from Peel Region. He was speeding north on Scunthorpe Road near Milner Avenue and had blown through a stop sign when he came upon two marked Toronto police cruisers travelling south.

The SIU said one of the cruisers, operated by the subject official (SO) and with its emergency lights activated, steered into the northbound lane in front of the SUV.

“I saw him, like, drive recklessly and I tried to stop him,” the SO is heard telling one of the officers at the scene following the collision. The conversation, the SIU said, was captured by the SO’s body-worn camera.

“We were coming down on Scunthorpe trying to get back to the station. I see it like blow that stop sign crossing another car, going north. So, I light up, I’m like blocking on the other side, it drives on the other side to get around me and that was it.”

The SIU said the driver swerved to the left, around the passenger side of the officer’s cruiser and accelerated past the second police vehicle.

“The officers turned to follow the SUV and proceeded north on Scunthorpe Road. They each brought their cruisers to a stop at a red light at the roadway’s intersection with Sheppard Avenue East and reported via radio what had just occurred,” the SIU said in the report.

Meanwhile, the driver turned east on Sheppard Avenue East and then south onto Markham Road, where he collided with another vehicle. He continued driving on Markham Roads at speeds approaching 140 km/h and beyond, the SIU said.

When he arrived at Milner Avenue, the driver sped through the intersection on a red light and collided with an eastbound Honda Odyssey that was masking a left turn.

“The SUV went airborne and struck a tractor-trailer transport truck stopped in the northbound curb lane of Markham Road,” the SIU said. Video from the truck that the SIU obtained captured the SUV rotating in the air before hitting it. The SUV also reportedly burst into flames.

According to the data from the SUV that was downloaded by Toronto police and turned to the SIU, three seconds before impact, the vehicle was travelling at 143 km/h. The driver, who was not wearing a seatbelt, started to turn the steering wheel to the left two seconds before impact but did not activate the brakes.

“At one-and-a-half seconds prior to impact, the accelerator of the vehicle was at 100 percent, and the speed of the vehicle was 133 km/h,” the report said. The posted speed limit is 50 km/h.

Several vehicles are involved in a fatal collision in Scarborough on March 13, 2024. (SIU)

Meanwhile, the Odyssey, driven by the 50-year-old man, collided with another eastbound vehicle. Two officers witnessed the collision and immediately rendered aid after broadcasting it to their radios.

The SO and the other officer involved in the chase were still stopped at Scunthorpe Road and Sheppard Avenue East intersection when they heard about the collision. The SIU said they attended the scene and assisted.

The driver of the Mercedes SUV sustained traumatic injuries and was pronounced dead. Meanwhile, the driver of the Odyssey suffered serious injuries that needed multiple surgeries and an extended stay in the hospital, the SIU said.

SIU Director Joseph Martino was investigating whether the prior chase contributed to the subsequent fatal collision. Martino said the officer was within his rights to attempt to stop the driver, who was committing traffic violations.

“The decision made to intervene, the SO comported himself with due care and regard for public safety. He activated his emergency lights and positioned his cruiser into the SUV’s path of travel leaving its driver space and time to come to a safe stop,” Martino said in his report.

He noted that the officer performed a safe turn to follow the SUV when he drove past his cruiser but ended the pursuit shortly after.

“In fact, he was still stopped on Scunthorpe Road at Sheppard Avenue East, about 700 metres from the site of the collision when it occurred,” Martino said.

“Moments later, on hearing of the collision, the SO drove without incident to the intersection of Milner Avenue and Markham Road. On this record, it is apparent that the SO did not cause or contribute to the collision in any fashion that could attract criminal sanction.”

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Driver was going nearly triple the speed limit when he ran red light, causing deadly collision in Scarborough: SIU

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