An 18-year-old man appeared before a court in Brampton on Wednesday afternoon, charged with several offences following an early-morning collision that left a woman dead.

Two other people were airlifted to hospital in serious condition following the grisly crash at Bramalea Road and Central Park Drive shortly before 5 a.m.

The crash happened after two vehicles collided just outside Chinguacousy Park, in a neighbourhood north of Highway 407 and east of Highway 410.

The twisted remnants of a blue Ford Focus was flipped onto its side on the sidewalk with its front bumper laying on the ground nearby, while a smashed Honda Civic had been left parked askew on the road not far away.

Police say the Focus was travelling south along Bramalea Road when it collided with the westbound Civic.

The deceased, a 41-year-old woman, was a passenger in the Civic and was tossed from the vehicle in the crash.

The 45-year-old driver of the Civic -- the dead woman's husband, according to the Toronto Star -- and an 18-year-old female passenger in the Focus were taken to a Toronto-area trauma hospital. They are both in serious condition.

The driver of the Focus was taken to hospital for treatment of minor injuries. He was released into police custody.

Peel Const. George Tudos told reporters at the scene that alcohol may have been a factor.

"All of the police services around Toronto are always telling the public not to drink and drive and hopefully people listen to that message," Tudos told reporters at the scene of the crash. "There is a reason for it and behind me is an example of that message."

Investigators from the service's major collision unit were at the scene trying to determine what happened.

Peel police later announced that Brian Turner, 18, of Brampton, had been charged with the following offences:

  • impaired operation causing death
  • dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing death
  • impaired driving causing bodily harm (two counts)
  • taking an auto without the owner's consent

Turner is being held in custody. He will be back in court on Friday.

No allegations against Turner have been proven in a court of law.

With a report from CTV Toronto's Natalie Johnson