3 children killed in suspected impaired driving crash on Highway 401 in Toronto: police

A 19-year-old man has been charged with impaired driving causing death after three children were killed in an overnight crash on Highway 401 in Etobicoke, Toronto police say. 

The crash happened at about 12:30 a.m. Sunday near Renforth Drive and Highway 401 on the eastbound off ramp, police said in a news release. 

A Dodge Caravan was heading eastbound on Highway 401 and exited at Renforth Drive, Acting Insp. Baheer Sarbanandan said. The vehicle was travelling at high speed on the exit ramp, lost control and went over a raised median. 

It then collided with a Chrysler Pacifica minivan that was stopped at a red light, Sarbanandan said. Inside the minivan were a mother, her four children and an acquaintance of the family who was driving the vehicle.

A 15-year-old and a 13-year-old were pronounced dead at the scene, police said. A six-year-old girl was taken to hospital, where she was pronounced dead, Sarbanandan said. 

A woman, 35, and a man, 40, were taken to hospital along with a 10-year-old child. All three are in non-life threatening condition. 

'A family is torn apart'

"A family is torn apart," Sarbanandan said at a news conference on Sunday. 

Ethan Lehouillier, of Georgetown, Ont., faces three counts each of impaired operation of a conveyance causing death and impaired operation of a conveyance causing bodily harm. 

He has also been charged with three counts each of dangerous driving causing death and dangerous driving causing bodily harm.

Lehouillier was the only person in the Dodge Caravan, police said in a post on X. 

Police are looking for witnesses who saw the Dodge Caravan driving on Highway 401 prior to the crash. They are also looking for dashcam footage, Sarbanandan said. 

Anyone with information is asked to contact police or leave an anonymous tip with Crime Stoppers. 

Renforth Drive is closed for the police investigation.