The province’s police watchdog is investigating a serious overnight collision on Highway 400 northbound near Rutherford Road in Vaughan that led to the arrest of a driver who fled the scene on foot.
The crash, which occurred just north of Langstaff Road in Vaughan around midnight, involved three vehicles.
OPP told 680 NewsRadio that a suspected impaired driver, who was operating a cargo van, rear-ended a minivan, which in turn struck a third vehicle driven by an off-duty York Regional Police officer.
The driver of the cargo van exited the vehicle following the crash and attempted to flee the scene. He was apprehended shortly afterward in a nearby parking lot outside a restaurant. The man was arrested for impaired driving and transported to the hospital with serious injuries.
Two others were sent to the hospital as a precaution.
The northbound lanes of Highway 400 were closed at Bass Pro Mills Drive for several hours, but reopened just before 9:30 a.m. on Thursday.
The Special Investigations Unit (SIU) has invoked its mandate and will lead the case.
The SIU is an independent civilian agency that probes incidents where people died or were seriously injured. Investigators also review incidents where sexual assault has been alleged, or a firearm was discharged at a person.