July 11: A 19-year-old driver was travelling nearly three times the speed limit when he ran a red light, resulting in a fatal multi-vehicle collision in Scarborough in March, according to a report released by the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) on Thursday. The crash occurred at the intersection of Markham Road and Milner Avenue on the morning of March 13, leaving the young driver dead and a 50-year-old man seriously injured.
The SIU report revealed that the 19-year-old was driving a stolen Mercedes-Benz SUV at high speeds north on Scunthorpe Road. He ignored a stop sign and encountered two marked Toronto police cruisers. One of the cruisers, operated by the subject official (SO), attempted to stop the SUV by blocking its path with emergency lights activated.
Despite the officer’s efforts, the driver swerved around the cruiser and continued speeding, reaching speeds of 140 km/h and beyond. He then turned onto Markham Road and ran a red light at Milner Avenue, colliding with an eastbound Honda Odyssey. The impact caused the SUV to go airborne and hit a tractor-trailer before bursting into flames.
Data from the SUV showed that three seconds before the crash, the vehicle was travelling at 143 km/h without the driver wearing a seatbelt or applying the brakes. The posted speed limit in the area is 50 km/h.
The driver of the Odyssey, a 50-year-old man, suffered serious injuries requiring multiple surgeries and an extended hospital stay. The SO and another officer, who had stopped their pursuit at the intersection of Scunthorpe Road and Sheppard Avenue East, arrived at the scene to assist.
