Seven die on Northeastern Ontario highways

OPP NEWS RELEASE

************************* Seven people lose their lives on Northeastern Ontario highways this Canada Day long weekend

NORTH BAY, ON – Ontario Provincial Police regional headquarters traffic and marine unit reports that seven people lost their lives in five separate fatal crashes this weekend on Northeastern Ontario highways.

This surpasses the provincial total last year for the weekend when five people were killed in the entire province.

The deadly collisions began on July 2 on Highway 11 near Cochrane where three people died in a head-on collision. An 81-year-old woman driving a pickup truck crossed the center line colliding with a van killing the 63-year-old male driver and his 56-year-old spouse. The couple’s 19-year-old daughter remains in hospital with serious injuries.

On the 3rd of July, a 23-year-old male from the Parry Sound area lost his life in an ATV rollover in the early morning hours near Highway 69 on Tally Ho Road.

On the 4th of July, a 58-year-old man lost his life when he crossed the center line and collided head-on with a tractor trailer on Highway 11 near Hearst. The driver of the tractor trailer is in hospital.

On the 4th of July, a 69-year-old man from Toronto lost control of his motorcycle on Highway 124 near Sundridge. The man struck a sign post and died at the scene.

On the 4th of July, a 51-year-old man lost his life when the pickup truck he was driving crossed the center line and collided head on in to a transport truck on Highway 101 near Timmins.

“Vehicles are not being treated as modes of transportation; they are considered living rooms, dens, clubs, and chat rooms. People must pay attention to what they are doing, that is driving a vehicle, staying alert, staying sober and staying safe; that is the only way we will see this carnage stop,” says Inspector Mark Andrews, traffic inspector for the North East Region OPP.

*************************