16-year-old passenger faces ‘life-altering’ back injuries from the collision, police said
The 15-year-old driver fled the scene of the collision on foot. He was taken into custody by Peel police shortly after. (Tony Smyth/CBC)
The unlicensed teen driver was the behind the wheel of a northbound sedan when he lost control and slammed into a concrete barrier near the Steeles Avenue exit around 1 a.m. Thursday.
A 16-year-old and an 18-year-old, both males, were passengers in the vehicle at the time of the crash. The 16-year-old was taken to hospital with “life-altering” back injuries, according to OPP Sgt. Kerry Schmidt. The 18-year-old passenger was treated for minor injuries and is expected to be released from care soon, Schmidt said.
The driver fled the scene of the collision on foot, and was arrested by Peel Regional Police shortly after.
He has been charged with dangerous driving causing bodily harm and failure to remain at the scene of a collision. The 18-year-old passenger will remain in police custody as he awaits a bail hearing for pre-existing robbery charges, Schmidt said.
The northbound lanes of Highway 410 were closed at Steeles from around 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. this morning. The OPP’s collision reconstruction team is heading up the crash investigation.
Drugs and alcohol do not appear to have been factors in the collision, according to Schmidt. Road conditions were dry and clear at the time, he added.
Anyone with potentially useful information is asked to contact the OPP’s highway safety division.
Source: CBC News