Mother, father and son killed in head-on crash near Peterborough, Ont. identified
A mother, father and son were among the four fatalities in Tuesday's head-on crash just east Peterborough, Ont, which also sent their daughter to hospital in critical condition.
Family told CTV News Toronto three of the people killed in the crash were Stephanie Hart, Jonathan Macdonnell and their 18-year-old son Riddick Hart. According to relatives, the family goes by and is known in the community as the MacHarts.
Their 14-year-old daughter Rowghan was seriously injured in the crash and was airlifted to The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto in critical condition, family says.
According to Ontario Provincial Police, the crash happened on Highway 7 near Drummond Line around 5:15 p.m. when an SUV and pick-up truck collided. Police later identified the fourth victim as 42-year-old Jason Schmidt, who was the driver of the pick-up truck.
A letter sent to parents by Thomas A. Stewart Secondary School Principal Debbie Callahan on Wednesday said it is "with profound sadness" they announce death of a student and staff member from the MacHart family.
Stephanie Hart, Rowghan Hart, Jon Macdonnell and Riddick Hart are seen in this undated photo. (GoFundMe)
"You may have heard about a serious vehicle collision just east of Peterborough," Callahan wrote in the letter. "We have learned that an entire family, the MacHart (Hart & MacDonnell) family, has been deeply impacted by this terrible accident, including the death of a student at our school and both parents, one of whom is also a Thomas A Stewart staff member. Another family member was involved, also a student at our school, and they were airlifted to hospital."
CTV News Toronto has learned Stefphanie MacHart was an educational assistant at the school.
“Our school community is shocked and grieving as we struggle to process this difficult news, and we understand that this will have an immediate and significant impact on our students, staff and families,” Callahan said in the letter.
Callahan said counsellors will remain at the school for students "as long as needed."
A stretch of highway near Peterborough, Ont. where four people were killed in a head-on collision is seen here on Nov. 23, 2022. (CTV News Toronto/Harrison Perkins)
"It is with the heaviest heart that we are writing this," Tanya Hart, whose husband is Stefphanie's first cousin, wrote on a GoFundMe Page for the family. "We are absolutely devastated by the sudden and tragic deaths of Stefphanie, Jon, and Riddick on the evening of Nov. 22."
Hart told CTV News Toronto money raised on the GoFundMe page would be used to support Rowghan through her recovery.
Highway 7 was closed for several hours on Tuesday night as police documented and reconstructed the crash scene.
Police have not released any further details about the victims or said what caused the crash.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
From essential goods to common stocking stuffers, Trudeau offering Canadians temporary tax relief
Canadians will soon receive a temporary tax break on several items, along with a one-time $250 rebate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Thursday.
She thought her children just had a cough or fever. A mother shares sons' experience with walking pneumonia
A mother shares with CTVNews.ca her family's health scare as medical experts say cases of the disease and other respiratory illnesses have surged, filling up emergency departments nationwide.
Trump chooses Pam Bondi for attorney general pick after Gaetz withdraws
U.S. president-elect Donald Trump on Thursday named Pam Bondi, the former attorney general of Florida, to be U.S. attorney general just hours after his other choice, Matt Gaetz, withdrew his name from consideration.
Putin says Russia attacked Ukraine with a new missile that he claims the West can't stop
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced Thursday that Moscow has tested a new intermediate-range missile in a strike on Ukraine, and he warned that it could use the weapon against countries that have allowed Kyiv to use their missiles to strike Russia.
Here's a list of items that will be GST/HST-free over the holidays
Canadians won’t have to pay GST on a selection of items this holiday season, the prime minister vowed on Thursday.
A one-of-a-kind Royal Canadian Mint coin sells for more than $1.5M
A rare one-of-a-kind pure gold coin from the Royal Canadian Mint has sold for more than $1.5 million. The 99.99 per cent pure gold coin, named 'The Dance Screen (The Scream Too),' weighs a whopping 10 kilograms and surpassed the previous record for a coin offered at an auction in Canada.
Video shows octopus 'hanging on for dear life' during bomb cyclone off B.C. coast
Humans weren’t the only ones who struggled through the bomb cyclone that formed off the B.C. coast this week, bringing intense winds and choppy seas.
Taylor Swift's motorcade spotted along Toronto's Gardiner Expressway
Taylor Swift is officially back in Toronto for round two. The popstar princess's motorcade was seen driving along the Gardiner Expressway on Thursday afternoon, making its way to the downtown core ahead of night four of ‘The Eras Tour’ at the Rogers Centre.
Service Canada holding back 85K passports amid Canada Post mail strike
Approximately 85,000 new passports are being held back by Service Canada, which stopped mailing them out a week before the nationwide Canada Post strike.
Shopping Trends
The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at CTV News. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us.
Montreal
-
Pro-Palestinian protesters gathered outside Concordia University amid Quebec-wide boycotts
The lobby of Concordia University’s Hall Building was flooded with pro-Palestinian protesters Thursday as others gathered and chanted outside the campus as part of Quebec-wide solidarity strikes.
-
Transit and taxes: mixed reactions to Quebec budget
There was a mixed reaction to the Quebec government's fall fiscal update on Thursday as the province announced billions of dollars in new spending.
-
Montreal shelter for abuse victims is raising funds amid rise in demand
The Shield of Athena is fundraising to expand services after a sharp increase in demand from abuse victims.
Ottawa
-
uOttawa to reconsider participation in U-Pass if city increases student fares, student union says
The student union at the University of Ottawa says it will consider pulling its participation from the U-Pass, which provides discounted transit fares for students, if the city goes forward with hiking student transit fees and violating the program’s contract.
-
Abdi inquest: Arresting officer feared for his safety during deadly arrest, jurors hear
A former Ottawa police officer returned to the witness stand on Monday and provided further details of the moments before the violent and deadly arrest of Abdirahman Abdi on the fourth day of a coroner's inquest into the circumstances of his death.
-
2 arrested during Greenpeace protest outside Stornoway residence in Ottawa
Two people have been arrested following a protest outside Stornoway, the official residence of Canada's leader of the Opposition.
Northern Ontario
-
Province cancels deal with Canadore College for North Bay addiction treatment centre
After years of delays, the province has pulled the plug on an addiction treatment centre in North Bay. A news release from Canadore College on Thursday confirmed the centre won’t be moving forward.
-
From essential goods to common stocking stuffers, Trudeau offering Canadians temporary tax relief
Canadians will soon receive a temporary tax break on several items, along with a one-time $250 rebate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Thursday.
-
$3M donation to help repair arena in Elliot Lake
The City of Elliot Lake said Thursday it has received a $3-million donation from Edward and Suzanne Rogers for the Centennial Arena restoration.
Kitchener
-
FunGuyz says it's closing all 30 of its magic mushroom stores in Ontario
FunGuyz, which calls itself the biggest magic mushroom dispensary in Canada, says it's shutting down all 30 of its Ontario locations.
-
LRT train knocked off its tracks after slamming into car
A crash between an LRT train and car shut down a busy Kitchener street for more than eight hours on Thursday.
-
Fight between rival motorcycle gangs in Cambridge leads to five arrests, more than a dozen charges
A fight between rival outlaw motorcycle gangs has led to multiple arrests, more than a dozen charges and the seizure of 17 firearms.
London
-
Former London Lightning player Chad Posthumus dead at 33 after brain aneurysm
Posthumus played a stint with the London Lightning - hitting the court for 22 games in the 2015-2016 season, averaging 11 points, and 6.5 rebounds.
-
London man arrested after attempting to break into a home, threatening residents
Police say that on Thursday, November 21 between the hours of 1:30 a.m., and 4:30 a.m. the suspect came and went from a residence on Conway Drive.
-
Goderich man charged with sex crimes and luring a child: police
A 21-year-old Goderich man is facing more than 20 criminal charges related to sex crimes, and police believe there may be more victims.
Windsor
-
Report ranks Windsor 88th in Canadian housing performance
A new report puts Windsor’s housing performance near the bottom of the pack among Canada’s largest 100 cities and towns in a review of construction starts over the last six years.
-
Woman sought following serious assault in west Windsor
Windsor police are asking for the public’s help identifying a suspect wanted in connection to an alleged serious assault that happened this past summer.
-
Service Canada holding back 85K passports amid Canada Post mail strike
Approximately 85,000 new passports are being held back by Service Canada, which stopped mailing them out a week before the nationwide Canada Post strike.
Barrie
-
How to avoid the number one cause of lung cancer in non-smokers, according to health experts
Radon is the number one cause of lung cancer in non-smokers in Canada, according to Grey Bruce Public Health Unit.
-
Local shelter receives donated Taylor Swift tickets
Staff at the Busby Centre, a nonprofit organization that supports individuals struggling and living on the streets of Barrie, received a surprise donation on Wednesday in the form of Taylor Swift tickets.
-
Festive R.I.D.E. arrives in Central Region
OPP detachments in Simcoe Muskoka kicked off their annual Festive R.I.D.E. campaign for the holiday season along with other detachments across the province.
Winnipeg
-
Sio Silica plans to try again with controversial project in Manitoba
Sio Silica is planning to try again with a controversial mining project in the same spot using the same method that the province rejected less than a year ago, but this time with more community engagement.
-
Manitoba RCMP issue Canada-wide warrant for Ontario semi-driver charged in deadly crash
Manitoba RCMP have issued a Canada-wide arrest warrant for the semi-driver involved in a crash that killed an eight-year-old girl and her mother.
-
Mayor Gillingham and Premier Kinew to face off in friendly hockey game for Winnipeg 150
The Manitoba premier is set to face off against Winnipeg's mayor on Nov. 30 to mark Winnipeg's 150th anniversary.
Atlantic
-
CTV News Roundtable: N.S. leaders discuss solutions on affordability, housing, health care
Nova Scotia’s top three political party leaders took part in CTV Atlantic’s roundtable discussion on Thursday, where they sparred over affordability, housing, health care, and campaign promises.
-
From essential goods to common stocking stuffers, Trudeau offering Canadians temporary tax relief
Canadians will soon receive a temporary tax break on several items, along with a one-time $250 rebate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Thursday.
-
'This is cold': P.E.I. mother upset over decision to remove late daughter's photos from school memorial wall
A high school on Prince Edward Island is removing pictures of its late students from a memorial wall – a decision that has upset one mother whose daughter attended the school.
N.L.
-
As N.L. firm pivots, scientists say Canada's green hydrogen dreams are far-fetched
A Newfoundland energy company's embrace of data centres is raising doubts about eastern Canadian hopes of harnessing the region's howling winds to supply Germany with power from green hydrogen.
-
Canadian leads group pushing Vatican for zero-tolerance policy on abuse by clergy
An international group led by a Canadian is in Rome this week to push the Catholic Church to adopt a zero-tolerance policy on abuse by clergy.
-
Newfoundland wind-to-hydrogen company eyes data centre as international market lags
A company hoping to build a multi-billion-dollar wind-to-hydrogen project in western Newfoundland is eyeing other options as Canada's plans to supply Europe with green energy have not yet materialized.
Edmonton
-
Alberta pitches new rules for auto insurance, including rate hikes, no-fault claims
The Alberta government is making changes to auto insurance, including rate hikes and switching to a predominantly no-fault claims model.
-
Alberta forecasts $4.6B surplus in budget update, but braces for uncertainty
Alberta is forecasting a $4.6-billion surplus for this fiscal year, but Finance Minister Nate Horner says "mounting pressures" threaten to soon put the province in the red.
-
'No 2 days are the same': Alberta Wildfire hiring 500 firefighters for next season
The wildfire season may have officially ended on Oct. 31, but Alberta Wildfire is already preparing for next year.
Calgary
-
Calgary Fire Department responding to explosion in Mahogany
Calgary Fire Department is responding to an explosion at a six-plex in the city's southeast.
-
Police probe possible connection between Calgary house fire and Bitcoin notes
Calgary police are seeking information in relation to a Tuesday fire in Hillhurst they believe was deliberately set and notes left in the area demanding Bitcoin.
-
Six shots fired after Calgary road rage incident, police seek dash-cam footage
Calgary police are looking for dash-cam footage as they investigate a shooting in the community of Cityscape believed to be the result of road rage.
Regina
-
Contractor fatally injured while on the job at Regina's Evraz plant
Evraz North America says an investigation is underway after a contractor was fatally injured while on the job in Regina on Nov. 19.
-
'I'll always be a Pat': Regina Pats trade captain Tanner Howe to Calgary
The Regina Pats have announced a blockbuster trade Thursday that sees captain Tanner Howe on his way to Calgary to play for the Hitmen as the team continues rebuilding for the future.
-
Jeremy O'Day speaks on wins, losses and Riders' overall performance in 2024
The Grey Cup Champion has officially been crowned for the 2024 season and once again it did not go to the Saskatchewan Roughriders. On Thursday, General Manager, Jeremy O'Day, spoke to media to break down another year.
Saskatoon
-
Saskatoon's first female mayor sworn in
After being sworn in Wednesday night alongside a mix of new and returning city councillors, Cynthia Block becomes the first female mayor of Saskatoon.
-
Sask. tuxedo business closes stores across the province
A Saskatchewan tuxedo business says struggles with inflation and operating costs have caused it close stores across the province.
-
Alberta non-profit Mustard Seed to run Saskatoon's Lighthouse
Alberta-based non-profit the Mustard Seed is stepping up to run Saskatoon's Lighthouse.
Vancouver
-
Surrey tree lighting, Coquitlam lights and lots of holiday markets happening in Metro Vancouver this weekend
Don't look now, but Christmas is less than five weeks away, and holiday festivities are ramping up across Metro Vancouver. Here are some events to check out this weekend.
-
B.C. man sentenced to probation for social media stunt
A man who drove a car into B.C.'s Burrard Inlet in a livestreamed social media stunt has been sentenced to one year of probation and will not have a criminal record if he complies with court-ordered conditions.
-
Video shows octopus 'hanging on for dear life' during bomb cyclone off B.C. coast
Humans weren’t the only ones who struggled through the bomb cyclone that formed off the B.C. coast this week, bringing intense winds and choppy seas.
Vancouver Island
-
Major crime investigators reviewing death of Victoria teen, which coroner reclassified as homicide
Vancouver Island’s major crime unit is investigating the case of a Victoria teenager whose death was initially ruled an accidental overdose, but has since been reclassified by coroners as a homicide.
-
1 dead after Nanaimo house fire, RCMP say
One person is dead after a fire that destroyed a home in Nanaimo's south end Wednesday morning.
-
Another windstorm headed to B.C.’s South Coast Friday, Environment Canada says
Another fall storm is forecast to bring high winds to B.C.’s South Coast on Friday, Environment Canada says.
