A devastating multi-vehicle collision in Ontario, Canada, has resulted in the tragic deaths of an Indian couple visiting the country and their three-month-old grandchild. The incident occurred during a police pursuit of a liquor store robbery suspect driving the wrong way on Highway 401 in Whitby, approximately 50 kilometres east of Toronto.
The Special Investigations Unit (SIU) reported that the 60-year-old man and 55-year-old woman, both visitors from India, were among the four individuals pronounced dead at the scene. The couple’s three-month-old grandson also lost his life in the collision. Additionally, the parents of the infant, aged 33 and 27, were traveling in the same vehicle and sustained injuries, with the mother’s condition deemed serious.
The fatal chase unfolded following a liquor store robbery in Bowmanville, leading to a high-speed pursuit involving at least six vehicles. The pursuit ended tragically on Highway 401 after approximately 20 minutes, resulting in the death of the 21-year-old robbery suspect and serious injuries to a 38-year-old male passenger from the suspect’s van.
Autopsies for the deceased victims were conducted in Toronto, while a comprehensive investigation involving seven investigators, a forensic investigator, and a collision reconstructionist is ongoing, as per the SIU’s statement.
Witness Milica Maljkovic Birkett, who narrowly avoided being caught in the collision, described the harrowing experience of encountering the suspect’s van traveling in the wrong direction. She expressed shock and sorrow over the loss of four lives in the tragic incident.
The collision and subsequent investigations highlight the dangers and consequences of high-speed pursuits and underscore the need for thorough safety protocols in law enforcement operations.
Sources By Agencies
