Investigation underway after 3 pedestrians, driver injured in North York collision

A man in his 70s has been arrested after a crash in North York that injured three pedestrians. Courtney Heels has the latest.

Toronto police are working to determine the cause and circumstances that led up to a collision in North York that sent three pedestrians along with a driver to the hospital on Sunday afternoon.

The crash happened in the Willowdale neighbourhood, near Yonge Street and Churchill Avenue, south of Finch Avenue.

Toronto police say they were called to that area just before 3:30 p.m. for reports of multiple pedestrians struck by a vehicle.

There, officers located who had been injured. They were taken to the hospital via trauma run.

The driver of the vehicle, a Volvo station wagon, remained on scene but was also hurt and transported to the hospital, they said.

Toronto paramedics said they responded that that area at 3:25 p.m. and transported four adult patients to the hospital.

Three were taken to a trauma centre: two in critical condition and one with serious injuries, while a fourth patient was taken to a local hospital with minor injuries, they said.

Motorist veered off roadway, hit 3 pedestrians, police say

Speaking with reporters at the scene, Insp. Dan Pravica said a blue Volvo was travelling southbound on Yonge when, “for unknown reasons,” the motorist veered off the roadway, hitting three pedestrians who were are on the sidewalk right at the intersection of Yonge and Churchill.

Pravica said the two pedestrians who sustained life-threatening injuries are a man and a woman in their mid-20s to early 30s, while the third pedestrian, who sustained serious but non-life-threatening injuries, is a woman also in her mid-20s to early 30s.

He could not say if the pedestrians knew each other or were just standing on the sidewalk waiting to cross the street.

He described the driver as a man in his 70s.

The investigation is in its “early stages,” Pravica said, and is ongoing. He added that officers from Traffic Services are now in the process of reconstructing th crash and are probing “multiple factors” that may have led up and/or caused it.

“It does not appear to be a target or intentional act,” the senior duty said, adding he cannot say if any charges against the motorist are pending.

Roads in the area were closed as police investigated but have since re-opened.

Toronto police are appealing to anyone with dashcam or surveillance video or anyone who saw what happened to contact them at 416-808-1900 or to provide information to Crime Stoppers anonymously.