Alcohol ‘a factor’ in fatal wrong-way Highway 418 crash: OPP
Posted October 31, 2023 1:48 pm.
Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) believe alcohol was a factor in a wrong-way head-on crash on Highway 418 near Courtice on Sunday night that killed two people.
OPP Sgt. Kerry Schdmit said witnesses called 911 on Sunday night, saying someone was driving a blue SUV the wrong way down Highway 418.
Schmidt said the vehicle entered the highway’s northbound lanes while travelling southbound near Taunton Road.
The SUV crashed head-on into another vehicle near Nash Road at around 7 p.m.
The drivers of both vehicles were killed.
The wrong-way driver was a 41-year-old woman from Courtice, while the victim in the other vehicle was a 36-year-old woman from Oshawa.
Both died at the scene.
Schmidt says a third vehicle travelling northbound crashed into the two vehicles after they collided and were stopped on the highway.
Four occupants were in that vehicle, and two were taken to hospital with non life-threatening injuries.
“We do believe alcohol was a contributing factor in this crash. The roads were dry, the skies were clear,” Schmidt said.
