Officers were following a reportedly stolen vehicle before it crashed with another vehicle in Scarborough on Monday night, Ontario’s police watchdog said.
Five people were in the allegedly stolen vehicle at the time of the collision, Toronto police said, four of whom were arrested after being taken to hospital in serious but stable condition.
The crash, which happened around 10:30 p.m. near Eglinton Avenue and Brimley Road, is the second collision involving a stolen vehicle in Toronto in one week.
Nine people were hurt when a stolen BMW slammed into a TTC bus on Nov. 18 in North York. Police charged three people linked to that collision, in connection with a home invasion and carjacking investigation.
Images from Monday’s crash scene showed one vehicle had a crushed front end, while the other had significant damage to its rear. A TTC bus shelter was also damaged.
Two men, a 16-year-old boy and a 15-year-old girl face charges, police said. A fifth person, a 16-year-old girl, remains outstanding, they said.
The driver of the other vehicle, a 51-year-old man, had minor injuries, police said.
Police, SIU issue statements
A police spokesperson said there was no ongoing pursuit at the time of the crash.
But the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) said officers were following the vehicle before the crash.
Officers were carrying out mobile traffic enforcement on Brimley Road when they noticed a Honda CRV travelling at speed, the SIU said in a release on Tuesday.
The officers “proceeded to follow” the Honda, which then struck an Audi at Eglinton Avenue and Brimley Road, the SIU said.
The Honda then drove into a vacant bus shelter, the release said.
Five people from the Honda and two people from the Audi were taken to hospital for assessment, the SIU said.
The SIU is an independent agency that investigates police conduct in incidents that results in death, serious injury, the discharge of a firearm or allegations of sexual assault.
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact the SIU.