Woman critical after metal spears windshield
By Chris Doucette, Toronto Sun
First posted: Wednesday, December 02, 2015 10:31 AM EST | Updated: Wednesday, December 02, 2015 07:48 PM EST
PICKERING - A 24-year-old woman is fighting for her life after a steel projectile nearly two metres long became airborne on Hwy. 401 in Pickering and pierced the windshield of her car like a spear.
The woman was behind the wheel of a Honda Accord heading east in the collector lanes just west of Rougemount Dr., approaching Whites Rd., when her terrifying ordeal unfolded around 8:30 p.m. Tuesday.
“There was a large piece of metal on the highway,” Ontario Provincial Police Sgt. Kerry Schmidt said Wednesday, explaining the metal bar was “most likely” a piece of equipment from a tow truck.
He said several vehicles drove over the debris and ended up with flattened tires.
“Then metal bar somehow got launched into the air,” Schmidt said, speculating the debris may have been “kicked up” by one of the passing vehicles.
The Markham woman, whose name was not released, suffered life-threatening injuries and was rushed to a Toronto hospital where she underwent surgery.
“I know doctors worked on her through the night,” Schmidt said. “And her family was at the hospital with her.”
The long projectile that struck the woman was square, rather than round, and appears to be one half of a two-piece adjustable metal bar from a tow truck driver’s dolly system, he said.
Tow operators wedge dollies, or small wheels, beneath the rear tires to raise a vehicle off the ground so it can be towed, Schmidt explained. The dollies, one set beneath each rear tire, are then connected by a metal bar that is about two metres long when fully extended.
He urged all tow truck operators who were in the area Tuesday night to check and ensure they have both pieces of that metal bar.
“Hopefully, any tow truck driver who is missing this equipment will do the right thing and come forward to talk to our investigators so that we can give this woman’s family some answers,” Schmidt said.
Any witnesses in the area that night are asked to call the Whitby OPP detachment at 905-668-3388.
chris.doucette@sunmedia.ca
Woman critical after metal spears windshield | Toronto & GTA | News | Toronto Su
By Chris Doucette, Toronto Sun
First posted: Wednesday, December 02, 2015 10:31 AM EST | Updated: Wednesday, December 02, 2015 07:48 PM EST
PICKERING - A 24-year-old woman is fighting for her life after a steel projectile nearly two metres long became airborne on Hwy. 401 in Pickering and pierced the windshield of her car like a spear.
The woman was behind the wheel of a Honda Accord heading east in the collector lanes just west of Rougemount Dr., approaching Whites Rd., when her terrifying ordeal unfolded around 8:30 p.m. Tuesday.
“There was a large piece of metal on the highway,” Ontario Provincial Police Sgt. Kerry Schmidt said Wednesday, explaining the metal bar was “most likely” a piece of equipment from a tow truck.
He said several vehicles drove over the debris and ended up with flattened tires.
“Then metal bar somehow got launched into the air,” Schmidt said, speculating the debris may have been “kicked up” by one of the passing vehicles.
The Markham woman, whose name was not released, suffered life-threatening injuries and was rushed to a Toronto hospital where she underwent surgery.
“I know doctors worked on her through the night,” Schmidt said. “And her family was at the hospital with her.”
The long projectile that struck the woman was square, rather than round, and appears to be one half of a two-piece adjustable metal bar from a tow truck driver’s dolly system, he said.
Tow operators wedge dollies, or small wheels, beneath the rear tires to raise a vehicle off the ground so it can be towed, Schmidt explained. The dollies, one set beneath each rear tire, are then connected by a metal bar that is about two metres long when fully extended.
He urged all tow truck operators who were in the area Tuesday night to check and ensure they have both pieces of that metal bar.
“Hopefully, any tow truck driver who is missing this equipment will do the right thing and come forward to talk to our investigators so that we can give this woman’s family some answers,” Schmidt said.
Any witnesses in the area that night are asked to call the Whitby OPP detachment at 905-668-3388.
chris.doucette@sunmedia.ca
Woman critical after metal spears windshield | Toronto & GTA | News | Toronto Su
