Three children and one man are dead after a multi-vehicle crash in Vaughan.
“A tragic, tragic day on the roads here in York Region,” York Regional Police Const. Andy Pattenden said on Sunday.
Police were called to the three-vehicle collision at Kipling Avenue and Kirby Road at 4:10 p.m.
Police said a black Range Rover struck a vehicle that had six people inside, and a short time after that a Mercedes was also struck.
Firefighters rushed to the scene and worked to free the six people from their vehicle, four of whom needed CPR.
A 65-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene. A nine-year-old boy died in hospital later that day.
Two other children, a five-year-old boy and a two-year-old girl, died in hospital on Monday. The names of the children have not yet been released by police. Their mother was identified as Jennifer Neville-Lake.
The 65-year-old man who was killed is believed to be the children’s grandfather.
Two adult females were removed from the same vehicle and taken to hospital with serious injuries. Their condition had improved to stable by Sunday evening.
The driver of the Ranger Rover has been arrested for impaired driving causing death. Police said Marco Muzzo, a 29-year-old man from King Township, was the sole occupant in the vehicle he was driving. He will make a court appearance in Newmarket on Monday.
He is facing four counts of impaired driving causing death, as well as four counts of having a blood-alcohol level over 80 milligrams causing death and four counts of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing death. He is charged with two counts each of impaired driving causing bodily harm, having a blood-alcohol level over 80 milligrams causing bodily harm, and dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing bodily harm.
The Mercedes, the third vehicle involved, had two people in it but no one was injured.
“It’s challenging for anyone involved, this is a first responders worst type of call to receive,” said Pattenden.
Reconstruction crews were working all day to figure out what happened. The major collision unit was called in. Kipling Avenue and Kirby Road was closed for the investigation but has since reopened.
Police originally said an elderly woman had been pronounced at the scene but later said it was a man.
Police are asking anyone who witnessed the collision to contact them.
