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Teacher, students killed in crash identified

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On Friday afternoon, an SUV driven by a high school teacher and carrying four teenage girls, collided with a tractor trailer at the intersection of Cobble Hills Road and Thorndale Road.

All five occupants of the SUV died. They were on their way home to Walkerton from a school softball tournament in Dorchester.

OPP have not released the names of the victims, but CTV News has confirmed their names and photos through friends.

The teacher has been identified as Matt Eckert, a beloved school coach, and an assistant coach with the Owen Sound Junior B Northstars Lacrosse Club.

MATT ECKERT - CRASH - MAY 2025 Matt Eckert was a teacher at Walkerton District Community School, and assistant coach for the Owen Sound Junior B Northstars Lacrosse team. He died in a car crash north of London, along with four students on May 23, 2025. (Source: Owen Sound Junior B Northstars Lacrosse)

The four students have been identified as Olivia Rourke, Rowan McLeod, Kaydance Ford, and Danica Baker.

A candlelight vigil will be held Sunday evening at dusk at their school, Walkerton District Community School.

Walkerton residents are being asked to consider placing sneakers on their front steps this week to honour the students and teacher who were killed.

— With files from CTV News London’s Scott Miller

Olivia Rourke An undated image of Olivia Rourke. (Source: Submitted)
WALKERTON FATAL - ROWAN MCLEOD An undated image of Rowan McLeod. (Source: Submitted)
WALKERTON FATAL - KAYDANCE FORD An undated image of Kaydance Ford. (Source: Submitted)
WALKERTON FATAL - DANICA BAKER An undated image of Danica Baker. (Source: Submitted)