Residents call for safety improvements to Hwy. 138 in eastern Ontario after fatal crash

Amanda Maloney is pictured in this Facebook image.

The community of North Stormont is mourning the death of Amanda Maloney, a mother of two and business owner who was killed in a three-vehicle crash last Saturday.

“When I found out what had happened, I was sick to my stomach,” said Cara Sabourin, a friend of Maloney’s for 10 years.

“She’s a young mom. She had two amazing little girls, five and seven years old. And she was also a huge, huge part of this community,” Sabourin said.

Ontario Provincial Police responded to a collision involving two tractor trailers and a passenger vehicle on Highway 138 at McNeil Road at around 9:30 a.m. March 29.

Maloney owned a bakery that served dozens of locals every day. Now, the community she served is calling on the province to improve safety on Highway 138.

“So far, we’ve gotten over 6,000 signatures to try to have some changes done to the highway,” said Sabourin.

Former North Stormont municipal councillor Roxane Villeneuve has been pushing for safety regulations on the highway for years.

“If we don’t do something now, staying stagnant on this is not working,” Villeneuve said. “I hope that for our community’s sake and everyone commuting on this Highway 138 that things happen, and the change happens fast.”

MPP Nolan Quinn says the government is working on a plan.

“I have been in frequent contact with our Minister of Transportation and the county. Our government will be taking the necessary steps to increase safety on Highway 138, with further details to come later this year,” said Quinn.

Residents say Maloney’s death is a big loss for the community and that safety concerns on Highway 138 have gone unaddressed for too long.

“If we do something proactive now, that should have been done years ago, we can possibly prevent more tragedies like Amanda’s happening,” said Villeneuve.

As the community pushes for change, friends remember Maloney’s positive spirit.

“She’s really the kind of person where you come in, and she’s always got a smile on her face,” said Amanda Brownrigg, another longtime friend. “No matter what kind of mood she’s in, she’s going to smile for you and she’s going to be happy. And she is a very positive person.”

Brownrigg, who knew Maloney for 20 years, said she even helped raise her children.

“I was her daycare provider since before they were a year old until they were off to school full time, and they were like little family members,” she said. “And I mean, even their extended family, like cousins and aunts and uncles, are all kind of family members now.”

A GoFundMe campaign has already raised tens of thousands of dollars to support Maloney’s family.