Driver charged in crash that injured 10 near Stratford

An Ontario woman is scheduled for a Sept. 8 court appearance for charges stemming from a recent car accident in the rural southwestern part of the province that sent six children to hospital. A total of 10 people were injured in the July 20 crash, which happened at about 5 p.m. on Embro Road south of Stratford.

According to police, a car carrying two adults and one child crossed into the oncoming lane and struck a minivan with two adults and five children on board. All of the kids are under the age of 10.

It took around 45 minutes for volunteer firefighters to free two adults and a child from the vehicles. The impact injured everyone involved, and two ORNGE helicopter ambulances arrived on the scene to airlift one of the adults and one child to London hospitals with critical injuries. Area hospitals initially treated the other eight occupants, but five were transferred overnight to London hospitals.

An Ontario Provincial Police official said that the car accident was “completely avoidable.” The 42-year-old driver of the car that crossed into oncoming traffic, a West Perth woman, was charged with failing to submit a breath sample when requested and impaired driving resulting in injury. She was also charged with dangerous operation of a vehicle resulting in injury.

People who are injured in car accidents as the result of other people’s negligence could be entitled to compensation under the Family Law Act. The victims themselves might receive compensation for actual expenses related to their injuries and for lost wages while they recuperated. If their family members were affected as well, they may receive compensation for travel expenses, the loss of income or value of services, and the loss of companionship, care and guidance.

Source: CanLII.org, “Family Law Act”; Toronto Sun, “Driver in crash that sent 6 kids to hospital charged“, Patrick Maloney, July 21, 2014