Three Filipino-Canadian children lost their lives, and three others were injured after an alleged drunk driver collided with their vehicle at a Toronto intersection early Sunday, May 18.
The victims, identified as Ramone, Jace, and Maya Lavina, were among six passengers in a black Chrysler Pacifica minivan that was struck by a speeding silver Dodge Caravan. The tragedy occurred at around 12:30 a.m. on the eastbound off-ramp from Highway 401 to Renforth Drive, according to Toronto Police.
Authorities stated that the Dodge Caravan, driven by 19-year-old Ethan Lehouillier of Georgetown, Ontario, lost control and slammed into the minivan, which was stopped at a red light. As a result, three young passengers — aged 15, 13, and 6 — succumbed to their injuries, while the other three occupants, including a 40-year-old man, a 35-year-old woman, and a 10-year-old child, sustained non-life-threatening injuries and were transported to a nearby hospital.
Lehouillier now faces multiple charges, including impaired operation of a conveyance causing death, impaired operation causing bodily harm, dangerous driving causing death, and dangerous driving causing bodily harm.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford expressed his heartbreak over the incident, calling the children’s deaths “tragic and senseless.” He emphasized that the individual responsible must face the “harshest punishment possible.”
A GoFundMe page has been launched to support the grieving family.
The tragic crash comes just weeks after another devastating incident in Vancouver claimed 11 lives during a Filipino festival, highlighting a series of heartbreaking losses for the Filipino-Canadian community.
