Driver smashes into numerous buildings in Toronto’s east end, suspect arrested: police

Toronto police say a driver allegedly went on a rampage overnight, smashing into numerous buildings around East York.

Police said they first received a call at around 11:30 p.m. Tuesday for reports of a car that had crashed into a building in the city’s east end.

Officers responded to the call and soon began receiving reports of damage at a number of other buildings in the area.

A police spokesperson told Global News on Wednesday morning that a mosque, a bank, a piano store, and a car dealership were among at least 12 buildings that were damaged.

Shortly after midnight, police tweeted that they were searching for a black Mercedes with “extensive front end damage” that had crashed into a number of storefronts and was last seen travelling westbound on the Gardiner Expressway.

Police said a 25-year-old man was arrested approximately four hours later in the area of Tapscott Road and McLevin Avenue in Scarborough. He now faces 12 charges of mischief.

The vehicle was also reportedly recovered and has since been impounded.

“It’s hard to understand why anybody would do that,” said Gary Sevier from the Robert Lowrey Piano Store.

The store was one of the buildings that was damaged and had its doors smashed in overnight.

“I’m just perplexed … everybody wants to know why,” Sevier said.

He added that it appears whoever did the damage did not attempt to gain entry to the store.

Officers are continuing to investigate the incident and said that while it appears the driver was not impaired, there also does not appear to be a hate motivation with regards to the crash at the mosque.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police or Crime Stoppers.