Three young men critically injured after car slams into concrete barrier

Three young men were taken to hospital with critical injuries after a car crashed into a fence and concrete barrier above the rail tunnel under Hunter Street in downtown Hamilton.

A 21-year-old driver and two 19-year-old passengers suffered injuries including spinal fractures and torso trauma after the single-vehicle collision Friday at 11 p.m.

A 2016 Volkswagen was being driven westbound on Hunter Street West when, police say, the driver failed to negotiate the offset intersection at Queen Street South.

The car was extensively damaged in the crash, causing concrete blocks to fall onto the railway tracks below used by GO Transit. It doesn't appear to have affected any GO train schedules.

Witnesses called 911 and paramedics took all three to hospital. Due to the severity of the injuries, the Hamilton Police Service Collision Reconstruction Unit is investigating.

The intersection was closed for about seven hours for road maintenance and the investigation.

Anyone with information can contact Detective Const. Ben Paterson at the Collision Reconstruction Unit at 905-546-4755. To remain anonymous contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or crimestoppershamilton.com

Joanna Frketich is a health reporter at The Spectator. jfrketich@thespec.com