Man, 18, charged after collision involving Ontario Premier Doug Ford

[Michael Jack]

An 18-year-old Oshawa man has been charged with dangerous driving after a collision involving an Ontario Provincial Police vehicle that was transporting Premier Doug Ford on Wednesday, the OPP says.

The premier, his staff and the OPP officers with him were unhurt, according to Grace Lee, spokesperson for Ford's office.

The driver of the other vehicle and a passenger suffered minor injuries, the OPP said in a news release on Wednesday.

Earlier on Wednesday, Ford told reporters the car he was in was sideswiped on the highway after he left a news conference at Ontario Power Generation.

"We were just driving straight and the next thing you know we got hammered, just hammered," he said.

"I'm OK, this head is like limestone. It's hard as a rock," he joked.

The two-vehicle collision, which involved a vehicle operated by the OPP Protective Services Section, happened in the westbound lanes of Highway 401, approaching Brock Road, in Pickering, according to the provincial police.

Officers from the OPP's highway safety division were called to the scene at about 12:30 p.m.

Ford said the car in which he was travelling was in its lane and going the speed limit. He also said the driver of the other car ended up on the other side of the highway.

"He was out of commission," Ford said. "It was bad. I just pray he's OK."

Crombie 'relieved' that Ford not injured in crash

Ontario Liberal Party Leader Bonnie Crombie said in a statement on Wednesday that she was glad the premier was not injured.

"After hearing of the accident involving the Premier, staff, OPP officers and civilians I am relieved to hear that no one sustained serious injuries and that everyone has been released from the hospital," Crombie said.

"I want to acknowledge and thank the world class first responders we have in Ontario who were on scene to help," she added.

"I know this must have been a scary situation for all those involved and what matters now is that everyone will be returning home safe to their families tonight."

The accused is due to appear in the Ontario Court of Justice in Oshawa on Feb. 20.

Anyone who witnessed the collision or who has dashboard camera footage is being asked to call the OPP's highway safety division at 1-888-310-1122, or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ ... -1.7426344

[Michael Jack]

TORONTO - An 18-year-old from Oshawa has been charged with dangerous driving after a collision with an Ontario Provincial Police vehicle that Premier Doug Ford was travelling in.

Ford said he was all right but the vehicle he was in got “hammered” when it was hit by another car Wednesday on Highway 401.

The collision happened as Ford was on his way back from an announcement at Darlington Nuclear Generating Station. The vehicle got “sideswiped,” Ford said.

“We were just driving straight, next thing you know, you got hammered, just hammered,” he said after taking some questions at the legislature about a virtual meeting he had with all of the premiers on Canada-U.S. relations.

“I’m OK. This head’s like limestone. It’s hard as a rock.”

OPP say two people in the other vehicle were taken to hospital with minor injuries. They added that the driver has a court appearance scheduled in Oshawa on Feb. 20.

Earlier, Ford suggested the driver of the other vehicle may have been seriously hurt, while a spokesperson for the premier said that driver is believed to have non-life-threatening injuries.

The staff and OPP officers who were also in the premier’s vehicle are OK as well, spokesperson Grace Lee said.

Ford was at Darlington to talk about a vision to supply both Canada and the United States with energy, in the face of American tariff threats.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 8, 2025.

https://www.thestar.com/news/ontario/do ... bf250.html