Ontario’s police watchdog is investigating the circumstances leading up to a serious crash in Toronto‘s north end Friday morning that left six people injured.
Emergency crews were called to the intersection of Keele Street and Sheppard Avenue West just before 11:30 a.m.
One of the vehicles rolled over, ended up on a sidewalk and sustained fire damage. Two other vehicles were also damaged and debris was scattered across Keele Street. Multiple poles and signs were also hit during the crash.
Toronto Police Insp. Katherine Stephenson said officers were trying to pull over a vehicle that was allegedly travelling at high speed.
“That vehicle fled and that was prior to this collision,” she said during a brief update, adding officers are cooperating with the Special Investigations Unit (SIU)’s probe.
Police said two people were trapped right after the crash and needed to be extricated.
A Toronto Paramedics spokesperson told Global News two people were taken to a trauma centre: one in critical condition and the second in serious condition. The spokesperson also said four people were taken to a local hospital with minor injuries.
In a news release issued Friday evening, the SIU said a Toronto police officer was conducting radar in the area of Keele Street and Wilson Avenue when a Mercedes SUV was spotted travelling at a high speed.
The officer followed the vehicle and tried to stop it, but in the intersection of Keele Street and Sheppard Avenue West, it collided with two other vehicles: a Honda and Hyundai, the SIU said.
A 23-year-old man from the Mercedes and a woman from the Honda were seriously injured, while four people from the Hyundai were taken to hospital with minor injuries, the SIU said.
The SIU is an independent agency that investigates the conduct of officers responding to calls that have resulted in death, serious injury, or alleged sexual assault. The agency is required to complete its investigation within 120 days or it needs to provide a statement explaining why further time is needed.
Officers closed the intersection to traffic for several hours.
— With files from Ryan Rocca
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