A memorial is growing in a Toronto neighbourhood after a local musician died walking in the area on Monday night when one car crashed into another and then hit pedestrians at an intersection.
Police were called to the area of Annette Street and Pacific Avenue in Toronto’s Junction neighbourhood just after 8 p.m. Monday when the two vehicles collided and also hit two pedestrians.
Police said the collision occurred when a Hyundai Elantra driven by a 57-year-old man and a Hyundai Tucson driven by a 34-year-old woman crashed into each other.
The Elantra crashed into the Tucson, according to police, forcing it onto the northwest corner of the intersection and into two pedestrians.
Paramedics said that a female pedestrian was declared dead at the scene, while a 50-year-old man was taken to hospital with minor injuries.
Two more people were assessed at the scene.
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Global News has confirmed the woman’s name was Julia Cleveland, an accomplished jazz musician and percussionist. Cleveland was walking with her partner on Monday night in The Junction, where the pair lived, a friend told Global News.
She previously had a group called the Julia Cleveland Quartet and, was most recently, called the Julia Cleveland Trio. Cleveland had previously played at the Montreal Jazz Festival.
Her sister, Tara Cleveland, told Global News in a statement Julia was a “wonderful and talented” musician and composer.
“The family would like to ask all Torontonians to slow down and be careful on the roads. Just a little bit of speeding and a moment of inattention can mean that a beautiful, loved, person like Julia has their life extinguished in the blink of an eye,” she said.
“The family would also like to thank the first responders and people who helped on the scene, who were fantastic. Julia and John were a couple who were very much in love and were together for many happy years.”
At the scene on Monday, flowers were laid as a tribute on the sidewalk where the incident happened. Candles were also placed.
Police later said the Tucson driver was also taken to hospital.
Investigators are appealing for anyone with information, or video evidence, related to the fatal crash to come forward.
— with files from Global News’ Catherine McDonald
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