Identities of victims, driver in Delta crash will not be released: Hamilton police
Hamilton police say the identities of those killed in a fiery crash in the city's east-end last weekend will not be released - including that of the driver.
At around 2 a.m. on March 19, police say the male driver of a stolen 2004 Toyota Prius was speeding westbound on Main Street East when the vehicle jumped the curb and smashed into a hydro pole outside the Pizza Pizza just west of the intersection on King Street East.
Three pedestrians, along with the driver of the car, were killed in the collision. A fourth person was injured by flying debris.
In a press release Friday, police announced that the victims of the March 19 crash would not be named publicly at the request of the involved families."
The Spectator has reached out to Hamilton police and the collision reconstruction unit for a reason as to why the driver's name will not be released.
Police released few details about the victims and the driver Friday.
The three pedestrians were a 48-year-old man from Richmond Hill, a 51-year-old man from Markham and a 56-year-old man from Toronto. At least two of the three were workers contracted to perform maintenance on restaurant equipment" at the Pizza Pizza, according to a statement from the company.
The driver was a 27-year-old man from Hamilton. Speaking to The Spectator, Const. Indy Bharaj confirmed the driver was previously known to police.
No further details have been provided on the cause of the crash, which spurred Ward 3 Coun. Nrinder Nann to call for an expedited safety audit of the intersection.
It's unclear what role, if any, the design of the roadway or intersection played in the crash. The collision reconstruction unit has not provided further updates on the investigation despite multiple requests from The Spectator.
Police have not yet ruled out impairment and speed as potential factors.
More to come ...
Fallon Hewitt is a reporter at The Spectator. fhewitt@thespec.com