High school student and his parents killed in Peterborough-area crash, school board says
CBC
A high school student and his parents were killed in a head-on collision between an SUV and a pickup truck near Peterborough on Tuesday, while his sister was sent to hospital, according to a local school board, as Ontario Provincial Police identified the victims Wednesday.
The crash happened on Highway 7 near Drummond Line at about 5:15 p.m.
Riddick Hart, 18, Jonathan MacDonnell, 46, and Stephanie Hart, 52, of Otonabee-South Monaghan Township, died in the crash, the OPP said in a news release on Wednesday. All three were in the SUV.
Jason Schmidt, 42, of Hastings, also died, the OPP said. He was driving the pickup truck.
A young female passenger in the SUV was taken to a Toronto-area hospital with life-threatening injuries, the OPP added.
Rita Russo, director of education for the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board, said in a message on Wednesday that the family was part of the Thomas A Stewart Secondary School (TAS) community.
One of the parents who died was a staff member at the high school, while the injured girl who was airlifted to hospital, was also a student, she said.
"We are shocked and saddened by this difficult news and the many profound and permanent impacts this tragic event has for so many in our community," Russo said in the message.
"We offer our deepest condolences to family, friends and the entire TAS community. Our thoughts are also focused on the family member, our student, currently being treated in hospital, as we all hope for a positive outcome."
Near the scene on Tuesday night, police said one vehicle was headed east, while the other vehicle was headed west. How the crash happened is still under investigation.
Russo said flags were lowered to half-mast on Wednesday at the high school, the school board education centre and other schools in honour of the family members who died.
The school board is providing mental health clinicians for students and staff at the high school and other schools affected by the crash, she said.
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