A woman believed to be in her 70s has been pronounced dead at the “gruesome” scene of a hit-and-run collision in Scarborough that involved two vehicles, police said.
On Wednesday at around 11:30 a.m., emergency crews responded to reports of a crash near Midland Avenue and Sheppard Avenue East.
Upon arrival at the scene, Toronto paramedics said the female pedestrian had succumbed to her injuries on the roadway.
Police tape at the scene of a deadly crash in Scarborough on August 21, 2019 is seen. (CTV News Toronto / Scott Lightfoot)
Sgt. Brett Moore, with Toronto police, told reporters around 1 p.m. that witnesses reported that two vehicles were involved in the deadly incident and neither of them remained on scene.
“She was on the southwest corner crossing the road from the west side to the east side – she had a green light – and she was in the crosswalk and at that same time we’ve got accounts that there was a large fuel-type truck that was turning southbound at that same time and struck the woman, knocked her to the ground and then there was a second strike from the rear wheels that killed her, we believe,” he said.
“That truck didn’t stop, it kept going.”
Sgt. Brett Moore is seen speaking with reporters at the scene of a deadly crash on August 21, 2019. (CTV News Toronto)
Moore added that witnesses further reported that a second vehicle was also involved in the crash.
“Several minutes after there was a second vehicle – at this point it’s not 100 per cent but it could be a white Honda Civic vehicle – that struck the woman again while she was on the road, further carrying her down the street.”
One of the witnesses described the truck to CTV News Toronto as being silver and “really big” and said the second vehicle was a white car.
“I was parked at the light and then all of a sudden I hear a lady scream and then a truck made a right turn and it got her foot first, from what I heard, and then after it got her foot I saw her go under,” she said.
The scene of a deadly collision on August 21, 2019 is seen from above. (CTV News Toronto Chopper)
On Wednesday afternoon, investigators confirmed that officers had tracked down the driver of the fuel truck.
Despite multiple eye witnesses to the crash being interviewed by officials at the intersection, Moore said investigators are still appealing to the public for help.
As well, Moore said victim services through Toronto police is readily available to anyone involved.
“People are not used to seeing these things, nor should they have to,” he said.
Anyone with surveillance camera footage in the area from the time of the incident is asked to contact investigators or Crime Stoppers anonymously.
