‘Medical episode’ may have caused driver to crash into Mississauga bank, damage several vehicles: police

A motorist sustained minor injuries after driving into a bank in Mississauga on April 13. (Jacob Estrin/CTV News Toronto)

No one was seriously hurt, but several vehicles were damaged, after a motorist sped up in a drive thru and drove into a bank in Mississauga on Sunday afternoon.

The collision happened at Westwood Shopping Centre, near Goreway and Morning Star drives, in Malton.

Peel Regional Police said they were called to that area at 2:42 p.m.

Speaking to the media at the scene late Sunday afternoon, Const. Tyler Bell-Morena said the driver of a CX-5 was in a Tim Horton’s drive-thru when for “unknown reasons” they rapidly accelerated hitting multiple vehicles before becoming embedded into the front of a nearby RBC bank.

He said the driver sustained minor injuries and was taken to the hospital as a precaution. A bystander in a vehicle also sustained minor injuries, but was treated at the scene.

At this time, crews are working to remove the vehicles that were struck.

Bell-Morena said the SUV embedded in the structure will remain on scene until they can ensure that the structural integrity is intact to remove it.

“I understand the working theory right now is that there may have been a medical episode impacting the driver that led to the collision, but that’ll be part of the ongoing investigation,” he said, adding that at this point it’s too early in the investigation to lay charges.

Bell-Morena added that police are reviewing CCTV footage from the plaza that captured the incident but are also asking anyone who was in the area at the time and has dashcam video to contact police or Crime Stoppers anonymously.

Mississauga Fire and Emergency Services told CTV News Toronto said they dispatched several vehicles to the scene, but most have now cleared.

They added that they may request an inspection for structural concerns, however it is still unclear at this point if this is an issue right now.

Police are asking people to avoid the area and advising drivers to expect traffic delays.