In hours before deadly crash, teens and coach enjoyed sun, fun and softball
'They were so excited to get their medals for second place'
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In the hours leading up to a crash near London that killed a high school softball coach and four teenage student-athletes, their team enjoyed sun-soaked success in a local tournament.
The team from Walkerton District Community School – which runs from kindergarten to Grade 12 in the town of 5,000, a two-hour drive north of London – was among 14 competing Friday in a high school tournament at Slo-Pitch City in Dorchester, says owner Marnie Spencer.
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They finished second, she recalled in an interview on Monday.
“They were so excited to get their medals for second place,” Spencer said. “And something like that happens. It’s so devastating.”
Ontario Provincial Police say it was about 4:30 p.m. on Friday when the collision happened at the rural intersection of Thorndale Road and Cobble Hills Road, northeast of London. It would take about 20 minutes to reach that intersection from the slo-pitch field.
Police said two 17-year-old girls and a 16-year-old girl were pronounced dead at the scene. A 33-year-old man was taken to hospital and later died, while a 16-year-old girl flown to hospital by helicopter also died.
All of the deceased were occupants of the same SUV that first collided with a transport truck, causing it to crash into a second SUV. The driver and passenger in the other SUV and the driver of the transport truck all suffered minor injuries.
Police have not publicly named the victims but through social media posts and news reports, the adult has been identified as Matt Eckert, a coach and teacher at the school. The teenage student-athletes who died have been identified as Rowan McLeod, Kaydance Ford, Danica Baker and Olivia Rourke.
Spencer said the tournament started Thursday and wrapped up Friday following a 2 p.m. final game.
“We’re in shock and feel awful and heartbroken,” Spencer said. “It’s a terrible thing for all these families.”
As of Monday, the police investigation into the cause of the crash was ongoing, OPP Sgt. Ed Sanchuk said.
An online fundraiser launched to help assist with “unforeseen costs” for the affected families had raised more than $13,000 as of midday on Monday.
The deaths sent shockwaves of grief through Walkerton and the surrounding communities in rural Bruce County. An estimated 1,000-plus attended a Sunday night vigil at the school. More than 40 mental health professionals were expected at the 800-student school on Monday, officials with the Bluewater District school board said.
Prime Minister Mark Carney offered his condolences in a statement on social media.
“This is an unimaginable loss – one that no family, no classmate, no school should ever have to endure. Canadians are holding the Walkerton community in our hearts.” Carney wrote.
With files from Brian Williams of The London Free Press and Greg Colgan of the Owen Sound Sun Times
hrivers@postmedia.com
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