TORONTO — A driver who ran a red light, killing himself and two pedestrians on a busy Toronto road, had what appeared to be a seizure during a previous collision moments earlier but got back in his vehicle and kept driving, city police said Friday.
The man was never supposed to be behind the wheel, police said, noting he had thrice been banned from driving.
"We think it's important that the public understand that the individual who was driving this vehicle, who caused this collision, was in fact prohibited from driving on any road in this country," Supt. Scott Baptist said of Thursday night's fatal crash.
The 36-year-old man – who police don't intend to identify publicly – was subject to a Canada-wide Criminal Code driving prohibition and a provincial driver's licence medical suspension, as well as an additional administrative provincial driver’s licence suspension, Baptist said.
Baptist wouldn't give the reasons for the man's driving bans, but noted that he had a medical episode less than 15 minutes before the collision that ended his life.
The man first crashed into a parked van on Thursday evening, and people in the area smashed through his window to try to help, as he was unresponsive. Baptist said witnesses reported that the man appeared to be having a seizure.
The witnesses called police, but before officers could arrive at the scene of the minor crash, the driver got back in his vehicle and sped away, Baptist said.
The second collision happened on Lakeshore Boulevard West just 2.5 kilometres from the first, where the man's Cadillac was travelling "at higher-than-normal speed."
"The Cadillac failed to stop for the red traffic signal, entered the intersection at speed and struck the two pedestrians within the crosswalk," Baptist said.
"It continued through the intersection without braking and collided with a parked flatbed trailer located at the east side of the intersection in the closed lane of traffic."
The two pedestrians – a 75-year-old man and 43-year-old woman – as well as the driver died at the scene.
Baptist said numerous witnesses have already spoken with police, but officers are still hoping to talk to anyone else who may have seen either crash. They're also on the hunt for video surveillance of either collision.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 1, 2022.
Nicole Thompson, The Canadian Press
