A 34-year-old man is set to face charges for dangerous driving following a fiery collision that resulted in six individuals being hospitalized on Saturday night, according to Windsor police. The incident occurred near the junction of Tecumseh Road E. and McDougall Street around 8:30 p.m., as officers responded to the scene.
Upon arrival, law enforcement found a pickup truck and an SUV ablaze and successfully rescued both drivers who were trapped inside, as stated in a news release on Sunday. Investigations revealed that the pickup truck initially collided with a small sedan while heading west on Tecumseh Road before crossing into eastbound traffic and crashing into the SUV.
Witnesses described the chaotic scene as an “explosion of fire,” with one bystander recounting the harrowing moments of the collision. Nico Verrelli, who was nearby, heard the crash and rushed to assist. He managed to rescue a woman from the SUV before realizing the driver was severely trapped. With the help of Ali Abu Khazneh, they were able to extract the unconscious driver just before the vehicle erupted in flames.
Following the rescue, emergency responders attended to the injured victims, with the SUV occupants sustaining serious injuries. The driver’s condition was deemed life-threatening. The pickup truck driver, also hospitalized with severe injuries, is now facing charges of dangerous driving causing bodily harm and leaving the accident scene.
The investigation is ongoing, with authorities urging anyone with relevant information or footage of the incident to contact the Windsor Police Service Traffic Enforcement Unit. The area remained closed for several hours as the Traffic Reconstruction Unit conducted their analysis of the crash site.