A New Hamburg man has been charged after a crash at Nafziger and Gerber Roads that left an 11-year-old boy in critical condition.

The crash happened shortly after 9 p.m. on Thursday, when a 2007 Dodge Caravan travelling southbound on Nafziger Road was struck by a 2010 Jeep Grand Cherokee that was headed westbound on Gerber Road.

Police say the Jeep, operated by a 33-year-old Jeremy Glenfield, failed to obey a stop sign and t-boned the minivan.

Waterloo Regional Police spokesperson Olaf Heinzel says "At this point in our investigation, what we can say is that alcohol was a factor in the collision."

Glenfield faces 12 related charges including; impaired driving causing bodily harm, refusing to provide a breath sample and dangerous driving causing bodily harm.

He suffered very minor injuries in the crash and appeared in court on Friday afternoon.

Will Klassen heard the crash from his store, which is 50 feet from the accident scene.

He says "I actually assisted the EMT with handing stuff and helping with the bags and stuff while they were helping the little kid."

The family in the minivan included a 45-year-old Wellesley man, who was driving, his 47-year-old wife and two of their four sons, an 11-year-old and a seven-year-old.

The 11-year-old boy suffered life-threatening injuries, while all other occupants suffered minor injuries. He is in critical condition at Hamilton General Hospital.

Tragically this is not the first major crash the family has faced. They lost another son in a car accident earlier this year.

Lyndall Huber, 17, was killed when the car he was driving went out of control and struck a utility pole on Line 92 southeast of Palmerston, Ont. on March 20.

The two 15-year-old passengers who were in the car at the time, including one of Huber's brothers, were not injured in the crash.

A female youth was later charged with careless driving in connection with that incident.

Police are asking anyone who may have witnessed the crash on Thursday night to contact them at 519-650-7700 Ext. 8856.

They are also reminding drivers to be safe, Heinzel says "We ask people to not drink and drive, to make alternate arrangements and make public safety their number one priority."

The man driving the minivan works at the Wellesley Home Hardware at 2196 Gerber Road just 100 feet from the crash scene. The owner says anyone who wishes to pass along messages or donations can do so through that store.