DVP Reopens Following Devastating Crash
Posted June 4, 2009 12:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
A huge traffic jam that left the afternoon rush in chaos was finally eased Thursday, more than three hours after police were forced to close all the southbound lanes of a stretch of the Don Valley Parkway. The route finally reopened just after 5:15pm, following an accident that left a man trapped in his overturned car.
Toronto Fire and EMS crews worked frantically to free him, and officials were forced to cut off traffic to the main artery, closing the road at Don Mills and the ramps leading to the highway at Eglinton Ave.
Ashley Denardo isn’t sure what happened. “It almost looked like a car had stopped abruptly in front of him. But there was no car in front of him. He sort of swerved erratically and toppled over a few times and hit the guard rail.”
A driver named David just missed being involved and had a different perspective. “The guy in front of me tried to brake and I started to brake and I could see in the rear view mirror that this guy was trying to change lanes, I guess to avoid hitting me. But all I knew was somebody came and hit me from behind … on the right side.”
Other drivers could be seen talking to the man (below) as he lay in his automotive trap, trying to ensure he was breathing and calm.
The 30-year-old was finally extricated and rushed to hospital with serious head injuries.
It’s not clear what caused the crash but the effect on traffic was severe.
Police reconstruction units kept the highway closed for hours, making alternate routes even heavier than normal.
The northbound lanes were also crawling, as curious onlookers slowed to take a look at the carnage in the other lanes.
