Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) have confirmed the identities of the five victims in a tragic crash in Middlesex County. Four high school students and one staff member from Walkerton District Community School (WDSS) in Bruce County were killed.
The incident occurred around 4:30 p.m. on Friday at the intersection of Thorndale Road and Cobble Hills Road in Thames Centre, east of Thorndale. The collision involved two SUVs and a transport truck. A 33-year-old man in the first SUV was seriously injured and later pronounced dead after being rushed to the hospital.
The other victims were three female students—two 17-year-olds and one 16-year-old—who were pronounced dead at the scene. A second 16-year-old female, also a student, was airlifted to a hospital by Ornge but later succumbed to her injuries.
The driver and passenger in the second SUV, as well as the transport truck driver, sustained minor injuries.
A neighbor, who wished to remain anonymous, described arriving home around 5 p.m. to find the area flooded with emergency responders, including a dozen cruisers, fire trucks, and a helicopter. First responders remained at the scene until around 4 a.m. the following morning.
Local residents noted that this stretch of road is often plagued by speeding and issues with drivers ignoring the stop sign at Cobble Hills Road.
The road remained closed for several hours as police investigated, reopening around 2:30 a.m. Saturday. Authorities are asking anyone with dashcam footage from the area to come forward. No further details have been released.
Update – The identity of the teacher killed in the accident is Matt Eckert, a school coach and assistant coach for the Owen Sound Junior B Northstars Lacrosse Club. The four students are Olivia Rourke, Rowan McLeod, Kaydance Ford, and Danica Baker.