Two teenagers who died after a single-vehicle collision in Vaughan, Ont. have been identified.
The crash occurred in the Kipling Avenue and Teston Road area at approximately 9:20 p.m. on Saturday, after the car went off the roadway.
Tatiana Sousa, 15, was pronounced dead at the scene, CTV News has confirmed. Friends and family say Joshua Ferreira, a 16-year-old student at Chaminade College School, succumbed to his injuries in hospital.
In a statement released early Sunday morning, police said a vehicle “had left the roadway,” and that “the six occupants in the vehicle were trapped.”
The remaining four victims are being treated for injuries ranging from serious to life-threatening. Police say all of the victims were minors.
“The Chaminade community is in deep sorrow as we mourn the loss of one of our brothers, Joshua Ferreira,” vice-principal Pedro Rodrigues in a Tweet sent. “Our thoughts and prayers are with Joshua’s family and friends during this difficult time.”
The Dante Alighieri Academy where Sousa attended also responded to the news on Twitter, saying “Our hearts go out to their friends and family. Stay strong, memories of them shall never fade.”
The Toronto District Catholic School Board said it is “profoundly saddened to learn that two of our students were fatally injured in a road accident in Vaughan Saturday evening.”
The cause of the crash is not immediately clear, but York Regional Police Const. Andy Pattenden said weather may have been a factor, as it was raining heavily and visibility was limited at the time of the crash.
“We are in a rural area here on Teston Road in the City of Vaughan. It is kind of rolling hills in the area,” Pattenden told reporters at the scene. “The vehicle itself left the roadway and is about 20 metres off the roadway through a number of trees."
“Our Major Collision Investigation Unit will be looking at a number of different things to determine what happened, whether it be speed or weather or a combination of different things," said Insp. Russ Bellman.
Parts of Kipling Avenue and Teston Road were closed off for the investigation, but have since reopened.
Bellman said the crash is “a traumatic event for everyone involved.”
York Police are asking anyone with information to contact the Major Collision Investigation Unit by calling 1-866-876-5423, ext. 7704, or to call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
The Chaminade community is in deep sorrow as we mourn the loss of one of our brothers, Joshua Ferreira.
— Pedro Rodrigues (@rodrigp67) October 25, 2015
Rest in peace Tatiana and Joshua. Our hearts go out to their friends and family. Stay strong, memories of them shall never fade.
— Dante Council (@DanteCouncil) October 26, 2015