Recent grad killed in Ottawa van crash

A teenaged boy is dead and his friend severely injured after a single-minivan crash in south Ottawa Saturday morning.

Ottawa paramedics said they were called to the intersection of River Road and Lowen Drive around 2:10 a.m., where they found a severely damaged minivan.

All five males on board were injured, with two males in their late teens to early 20s ejected from the van.

Paramedics said one of those males was pronounced dead at the scene, while the other (who police said was 21 years old) was found unconscious about 50 feet from the vehicle with multiple severe injuries.

Friends have identified the boy who was killed as 16-year-old Julio Nibigirwe, a recent École secondaire Franco-Cité grad.

A Facebook page set up in his memory gathered more than 550 members in about two hours.

"i cant believe it .man i was with you at lunch and 14 hrs later this happen ! Iwill miss you Bro (sic)," posted one member.

"r.i.p julio, too young ! gunna miss that big smile of yours (sic)," said another.

The driver and one passenger (both teenagers) were taken to hospital with minor injuries, while the fifth fled the scene and was found nearby with minor injuries.

Ottawa police said the van was driving north on River Road when it veered off of it.

"I could feel a thump and for a split second I thought the car hit our porch," said the owner of a nearby bed & breakfast. "That's how hard the building shook."

Police said investigators are still working to find out the cause.

With a report from CTV Ottawa's Stefanie Masotti