Investigators are trying to determine if speed, seatbelts or any other factors played a role in a crash that killed four young people in Puslinch, Ont. Ontario Provincial Police said the vehicle was travelling along Watson Road South when it smashed through a guard rail, crashing into a ravine below. It happened just before a bend in the road, between Maltby Road East and Wellington Road 34, around 1:35 a.m. on Saturday. There were six occupants in the vehicle at that time. Four of them were pronounced dead at the scene. At a press conference on Sunday morning, Ontario Provincial Police said a 19-year-old man from Mississauga, 19-year-old man from Brampton, 17-year-old girl from Mississauga and 15-year-old girl from Milton were killed. Another 17-year-old girl remains in hospital with life-altering injuries, while a 16-year-old girl has non-life-threatening injuries. Police said both are from Mississauga. Inspector Karen Medeiros with Wellington County OPP called it an “unimaginable loss.” “Four young people have lost their lives, in a matter of moments,” she said. “Families have been forever changed, and an entire community is searching for answers. Our responsibility is to ensure those answers are based on evidence, facts and a thorough investigation. That work will continue in the days and weeks ahead.” One factor they have to consider is the number of passengers inside the vehicle. “I don’t believe that this vehicle had enough seatbelts for the amount of occupants who were in the vehicle at that time,” said Insp. Medeiros. “At this stage of the investigation, it’s too early to determine exactly what caused the collision,” she told reporters. “Investigators continue to gather information and carefully assess all the available evidence, including information related to speed and seat belt use as they work to establish the circumstances surrounding the collision.” OPP also want to learn more about where the group was headed at that time of night. OPP asked anyone who was in the area around 1:30 a.m., especially those with security or dash cam video, to contact the Wellington County detachment at 1-888-310-1122. “Even information that might seem insignificant could prove valuable to investigators as they piece together the events that led up to this tragedy,” Insp. Medeiros said. Maltby Road East remained closed on Sunday. OPP said that was due to the damaged guard rail at the crash site. “We want to ensure the safety of other motorists on the roadway,” Insp. Medeiros explained. According to data from OPP’s West Region, there have been 70 fatal collisions on provincially-patrolled roads since the start of the year.
