A devastating collision on Highway 401 has claimed the lives of three children and left three others injured, after a 19-year-old man allegedly drove impaired and crashed into a stopped minivan early Sunday morning.
The fatal crash occurred shortly after 12:30 a.m. on the eastbound off-ramp of Highway 401 at Renforth Drive in Etobicoke. According to police, a silver Dodge Caravan travelling at high speed lost control and slammed into a black Chrysler minivan that was stopped at a red light.
Inside the Chrysler were six occupants from one family. A 15-year-old boy and a 13-year-old boy were pronounced dead at the scene. A six-year-old girl, rushed to hospital in critical condition, later died from her injuries.
A 10-year-old boy, their 35-year-old mother, and a 40-year-old male family acquaintance also suffered life-threatening injuries but have since been upgraded to stable condition.
“All of this pain is the result of one person’s decision to drink and drive,” said Acting Duty Inspector Baheer Sarvanandan during a media briefing. “This crash has torn a family apart. It’s a heartbreaking tragedy that didn’t have to happen.”
The accused driver, identified as Ethan Lehouillier of Georgetown, Ont., was arrested at the scene. He now faces 12 charges, including:
- Dangerous driving causing death
- Impaired operation of a motor vehicle causing death
None of the charges have been proven in court. Lehouillier was scheduled to appear in bail court at 10 a.m. Sunday.
Photos from the scene show a mangled minivan and debris scattered across the roadway, highlighting the force of the impact.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford expressed condolences and outrage in a post on X (formerly Twitter):
“I am heartbroken by the tragic and senseless deaths of three young children. The person responsible for this heinous act must face the harshest punishment possible.”
Toronto police have reopened Renforth Drive after the investigation but continue to seek witnesses. Anyone who saw the silver Dodge Caravan travelling eastbound on the 401 or captured it on dashcam video is urged to contact Traffic Services at 416-808-1900 or report anonymously through Crime Stoppers.