Two in stolen BMW that crashed into TTC bus were out on bail: TPA
Nine people were hurt, two critically in the BMW
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Two of the people that were in a stolen luxury BMW X6 were allegedly out on bail when involved in a spectacular early morning collision with a TTC bus that left nine people injured.
Toronto Police said that just before 2 a.m. the southbound Bathurst St. bus was traveling through the intersection at Wilson Ave. when it was speared by the BMW just behind the driver’s side front wheels, spinning the bus in the opposite direction after the collision.
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Toronto Police Duty Insp. Brian Maslowski told reporters on scene that two vehicles were travelling westbound along Wilson Ave. at a “very high-rate of speed westbound on Wilson Ave.,” confirming the car had been stolen.
“And what is believed to be a black SUV made it through the intersection, but a white BMW did not,” Maslowski said. “This caused quite a massive collision.”
“There were quite a number of very serious injuries,” Maslowski added.
Arriving officers pulled two of the four occupants out of the BMW to safety as the car was smouldering and on fire. The other two occupants were extricated by Toronto Fire.
Four riders and the bus driver suffered minor injuries, including a female passenger who was ejected from the bus during the crash.
The bus, pointing northward, had its entire frame shifted, windows smashed out and a massive indent behind the driver’s wheels.
Two protection bollards on the southwest corner of the intersection were completely sheered from their moorings.
The force of the crash crumpled the entire engine compartment of the BMW which was seen wedged up against a fence on the southwest side and two of its four occupants were treated for life-threatening injuries.
Police investigators could be seen removing quite a few items from the alleged stolen car including what looked to be cellphones, something that resembled a computer or iPad and a large black carry bag.
The Toronto Police Association was quick to issue a statement that read “once again we could be waking up to a senseless tragedy because of the federal government’ weak bail system.”
“Two of the four people in the stolen vehicle were on bail including one for a violent robbery,” read the release, which went on to say “we’d like to send out thoughts to the driver of the TTC bus and the passengers who were injured this morning. We are grateful everyone will be ok.”
Just last week after a massive “Wild West” gun-battle shootout at Queen St. W. and Sudbury St. that saw 23 people arrested and 16 firearms seized, three police associations — the Police Association of Ontario, Ontario Provincial Police Association and the TPA — issued simultaneous statements calling on the federal government to act when it comes to bail reforms to keep criminals incarcerated.
Most recently, on Oct. 9, another alleged stolen Honda smashed into two buses at 4:50 a.m. near Bathurst and Eglinton Ave. W. and burst into flames.
Maslowski was also at that scene in the aftermath and told TV media that that car was travelling at a high rate of speed eastbound on Eglinton when it slammed into a northbound bus and careened into a westbound bus and caught on fire.
The driver of one of the TTC buses hopped out of his bus and pulled the middle-aged man from the burning vehicle.
Many residents in the Wilson Heights area on Monday morning were trying to figure out how to get to destinations by bus as the entire intersection and surrounding area was blocked off by the carnage.
“They have no right to steal people’s vehicles,“ said passerby, Stedman Regist. “Look what happens when you steal other people’s property.”
“It could have cost other (innocent) people’s life,” Regist added.
He then explained aloud if there were people on the street mid-morning going to work or school “it could have been worse than it is now” with people potentially dead.
Regist said he hoped the people that allegedly stole the BMW recover “and then they throw them in jail.”
“It is happening too often right now,” he said, in reference to the issue of vehicles being stolen in Toronto.
Bill Payton, who lives south of the crash scene, was at a loss for words, saying “there is no explanation.”
“Why would somebody do something like this? The city is going crazy,” Payton said.
He said the issue of stolen vehicles in Toronto and the province “is is out of control.”
The TTC issued a statement on X, saying “we are thankful these injuries were not more serious and we wish all involved a full and speedy recovery.”
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