Two people dead following collision near Prescott involving 4 tractor-trailers

Provincial police spent much of the day combing through evidence left behind at a double fatal collision near Prescott Monday night that happened around 10:30 p.m.

The preliminary investigation suggests two transport trucks and three vehicles were travelling eastbound when the collision occurred according to Grenville OPP Constable Cathy Lindsey.

“There was a tractor-trailer that was leading several others — three, in fact. A fourth tractor-trailer did not slow down and hit a vehicle in front of him,” explained Lindsey.

Two people were pronounced dead at the scene, three others were transported to the hospital and another airlifted with life-threatening injuries.

This accident comes on the heels of another just hours earlier involving two other transport trucks.

A 60-year-old man from Brossard, Que. was arrested at the scene and is facing two charges of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing death and four counts of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing bodily harm.

Traffic was rerouted around the scene of the collision through the downtown core in Prescott.

“Our streets weren’t built for that sort of traffic,” said Prescott Mayor Brett Todd.

Todd and several other  Eastern Ontario mayors are lobbying the Ministry of Transportation to implement restrictions on transport trucks travelling Highway 401. They’d like to see the MTO reduce speed limits, implement lane restrictions in addition to expanding the highway to three lanes.

“Eastern Ontario has not seen those expansions and the rest of the province has really been moving toward that.  We need to move toward that sooner rather than later,” said Todd.

In the meantime, 60-year-old Jamil Ahmad Quershi will make his first court appearance in Brockville on Friday.

Officers would like to speak with anyone who may have witnessed the crash.