A woman and five children from a nearby daycare were all rushed to the hospital after being struck by the driver of a vehicle in Oshawa on Wednesday morning.
The collision happened at the intersection of Ryerson Crescent and Sheridan Street at around 9:25 a.m. while the group were on their daily walk, police say.
Acting Sgt. Nicholas Gluckstein said the woman and children, ranging in age from seven months to three-years-old, were crossing the street when they were hit by a turning vehicle.
“The pedestrians, so one adult female and five children, were walking northbound, and as they were walking across the street, that vehicle making a left turn struck them all,” said the media officer.
One of the children, a two-year-old girl, sustained critical injuries and was subsequently airlifted to a Toronto-area trauma centre. The other four children were taken to a local hospital with minor injuries.
The female daycare worker, meanwhile, sustained serious, non-life-threatening, injuries and was also transported to a local hospital.
Driver also sent to the hospital
The media officer said the driver, who was also taken to hospital with minor injuries, remained on scene and is cooperating with what has become a “complex” investigation.
No charges have been laid against them at this time.
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The collision occurred at an intersection with a two-way stop and the vehicle that was turning did not have a stop sign.
“There are no stop signs for them to potentially stop and take a look around there. But five children and an adult female crossing the road is a pretty large sight to see,” Gluckstein said.
The officer said he can’t speak to the speed the motorist may have been travelling at but said it would be something investigators would be looking at “as they speak to witnesses in the area and look for video footage.
“We’ll look at any kind of distracted driving when it was whether it was you know cell phones or eating or anything of that nature. We’ll look at impairments, whether that’s a factor,” he said.
“As the investigators speak with witnesses and comb all of the video footage, they’ll make that assessment and look for any fine details that they can gather.”
The intersection of Ryerson Crescent and Sheridan Street remains closed due to the investigation.
Police are asking drivers in the area to find an alternate route.
