Ontario 401 was the scene of a deadly crash in Pickering early Sunday, after police say a pickup truck was travelling in the wrong direction in the eastbound collector lanes near Westney Road. A 38-year-old driver was pronounced dead, and a 41-year-old man now faces charges after the collision, police said. The crash led to major traffic disruption and a second collision later at the scene.
Fatal collision closed lanes through the day
The Toronto OPP detachment responded around 2: 40 a. m. ET to reports of a collision on Ontario 401 in Pickering. Police said the crash involved a passenger vehicle and a pickup truck that was travelling the wrong way. The driver of the passenger vehicle was pronounced dead at the scene.
By Sunday afternoon, the 41-year-old pickup truck driver had been charged with dangerous operation causing death and impaired operation causing death. He was taken to hospital with minor injuries, OPP spokesperson Taylor Konkle said.
Closures at the Brock Road off-ramp were lifted at 8: 40 p. m. ET, OPP spokesperson Sgt. Kerry Schmidt said. Earlier in the day, eastbound lanes were reduced while investigators worked at the scene and traffic backed up through the area.
Second crash injured officers at the scene
Around 4: 25 a. m. ET, while police were handling road closures, another collision took place in the same area between an SUV and a Durham Region police cruiser. Two officers were sent to hospital in serious but non-life-threatening condition and have since been released with minor injuries, the Special Investigations Unit said.
The SUV driver was also taken to hospital with minor injuries, Konkle said. The SIU later said the 52-year-old man was diagnosed with serious injuries. The agency has opened an investigation with two investigators and two forensic officers to determine the circumstances surrounding those injuries.
A spokesperson for the SIU said the investigation is focused on what happened during the second collision and the injuries that followed. Emergency services and Ontario Provincial Police remained on scene through the day, including reconstructionists and technical collision investigators.
What and what happens next
The OPP said the fatal crash remains under investigation, and the SIU is examining the separate incident involving the police cruiser. The two collisions made Ontario 401 a major recovery scene for hours, with traffic diverted and lanes restricted while evidence was gathered and vehicles were cleared.
For now, the key developments are the death of the 38-year-old driver, the criminal charges laid against the pickup truck driver, and the SIU review of the later collision. More details may emerge as investigators continue working the case on Ontario 401 in Pickering.
