'Terrifying scene': Nine-year-old girl dies, three others in critical condition after multi-vehicle crash on Boxing Day
Fire official says it could be 'crash of the year' in terms of severity
Multi-vehicle crash at Macleod Trail and Southland Drive
Emergency crews work at the scene of a multi-vehicle crash at the intersection of Macleod Trail and Southland Drive in Calgary on Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024. Several patients were transported to hospital by ambulance and a large police presence was on scene. A tragic crash has claimed the life of a nine-year-old girl and left three others in critical condition, Calgary police said Thursday night.
The girl was the youngest victim in the multi-vehicle crash, Calgary police said in a news release, while sending their condolences to her family and all those affected by the tragedy. Earlier in the day, police said the man whose reckless driving caused a five-vehicle pileup — just before 10 a.m. at the intersection of Macleod Trail and Southland Drive — fled an attempted traffic stop after allegedly robbing a pharmacy and assaulting the business owner earlier in the morning.
"It was a terrible crash," Scott Campbell, a CPS duty inspector, told reporters. "Thankfully there were no other people involved at the time, but our thoughts are certainly with the families involved as it is a truly horrific scene."
Shortly before the incident, police initially responded to reports of a theft and assault at Pharmasave Millrise off James McKevitt Road at around 9.30am on Boxing Day.
Officers attempted to stop the vehicle on Anderson Street, but the driver continued to drive at a high rate of speed. Campbell said at one point the HAWCS police helicopter estimated the van was going 110mph. "Due to the volume of traffic and the nature of the traffic at this time of year, no (ground) search was conducted," he said. "Instead, we continued to pursue this stolen vehicle by helicopter.
"Approximately 18 minutes into this traffic stop, the offender continued to drive dangerously at a high rate of speed and ran a red light at Southland and Macleod Trail, colliding with multiple vehicles, resulting in serious injuries."
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Two injured adults, who were in separate vehicles, were taken to hospital in critical but stable condition, according to Campbell. The two injured juveniles were transported to Alberta Children's Hospital in critical but life-threatening condition.
Police have cleared some of the traffic on Glenmore Trail and Crowchild Trail to get the victims to hospital as quickly as possible.
Five vehicles were involved in the crash, which closed the intersection and sections of Macleod Trail and Southland Drive for most of the day.
Multi-vehicle crash at Macleod Trail and Southland Drive
Emergency crews work at the scene of a multi-vehicle crash at the intersection of Macleod Trail and Southland Drive in Calgary on Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024. Several patients were transported to hospital by ambulance and a large police presence was on scene. Two people trapped in their vehicles had to be extricated with jaws, said Scott Cowan, battalion chief with the Calgary Fire Department. A third person was rescued from a vehicle by bystanders before emergency services arrived.
Cowan said this could be "the crash of the year," in terms of severity.
"We've seen crashes involving five vehicles before, but they're usually smaller," said the Battalion Chief. "It's pretty serious, with a lot of damage to most of these vehicles."
Witnesses and people involved in the incident described the chaotic scene to Postmedia.
Paul Donaldson, a British Columbia resident who was visiting family for the holidays, was driving his brother's Ford Explorer when the truck was hit by another vehicle. He said he was driving south on Macleod, waiting to turn left onto Southland.
"I saw a guy speeding through a red light there. It was red," Donaldson said.
"He hit someone and I think the person who got hit hit us... . That's all I remember. I was flying... "It happened so fast."
His brother Jason Donaldson said: "He's my twin and I wanted to call him, I wanted to see (if he was okay) ... I called him and he was just in an accident. I'm glad he's okay, but. it's not the same thing for some people.
Multi-vehicle collision on Macleod Trail and Southland Drive
First responders are working the scene of a serious multi-vehicle collision on Macleod Trail at Southland Drive in Calgary on Thursday, December 1. 26, 2024.
Another driver who stopped at the scene of the incident told Postmedia that he was in the Millrise community on James McKevitt Road when he encountered a gray pickup truck that he said was speeding erratically.