Four-way stop planned for intersection where bus driver and OPP officer killed
The rural Oxford County intersection where an OPP officer and a school bus driver were killed Monday was less than a month away from becoming a four-way stop when the deadly crash happened, according to the county.
Neighbours say the corner of Highway 59 and Oxford County Road 33 is well known for being dangerous.
“It’s happened far too often, honestly,” said Bob Hart, who lives and works nearby. “There’s been a lot of accidents at this intersection.”
- RELATED: Police officer, school bus driver killed in violent crash north of Woodstock, Ont.
- 'Six collisions at intersection since August': Neighbours say change needed at rural Oxford County corner
He says just last week, there was another serious crash at the same location.
A school bus with heavy damage to its front end appears at the scene of a double fatal crash in Oxford County on May 29, 2023. (CTV News)
Hart saw emergency services rushing to a collision there Monday morning.
Police say an unmarked police cruiser and a school bus collided at the intersection shortly before 7 a.m. on Monday. Both drivers were killed. The officer has been identified as 35-year-old Det. Const. Steven Tourangeau. The name of the bus driver has not been released.
There were no students on the bus or passengers in either vehicle.
Det. Const. Steven Tourangeau was killed in a collision involving an unmarked cruiser and school bus on May 29, 2023. (OPP)
London police are investigating the crash. They say the early stages of the investigation show the unmarked police car was driving eastbound on Oxford Road 33 and collided with the school bus, which was traveling northbound.
“The OPP, when they discovered a member of the OPP was involved in the collision, they notified the SIU. The SIU decided not to invoke their mandate. The OPP contacted the London Police Service and asked if we would provide assistance to the investigation by providing some oversight,” a spokesperson for London police told CTV News at the scene.
A heavily damaged vehicle appears at the scene of a double fatal crash in Oxford County on May 29, 2023. (CTV News)
While the circumstances of Monday’s crash are not clear, Hart says he frequently sees drivers sail though the intersection.
“The traffic that is travelling eastwards, they’re on a fairly long stretch, maybe 10 km, without a stop sign, and they come over a hill and the stop sign is shortly after cresting the hill,” Hart said.
“I have seen them go across the highway a number of times – different cars – without even slowing down. I’m sure they are not doing it on purpose, just somehow missing the stop sign.”
Emergency services respond to a crash in Oxford County near the intersection of Oxford Road 33 and Highway 59 on Monday, May 29. (Submitted)
During this year’s budget process, Oxford Country approved safety improvements at the intersection, including changing it from a two-way stop to a four-way stop, reducing the speed limit to 60 km/h approaching the corner, and adding rumble strips, electronic speed feedback signs and overhead flashing red lights.
The improvements are set to be implemented in June, a spokesperson for Oxford County said in an email. They follow the installation of flashing red lights at the stop signs in January.
OPP officers salute as the body of Det. Const. Steven Tourangeau is removed from the scene of a crash in Oxford County on May 29, 2023. (CTV News)
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Trend Line Anger, pessimism towards federal government reach six-year high: Nanos survey
Most Canadians in March reported feeling angry or pessimistic towards the federal government than at any point in the last six years, according to a survey by Nanos Research.
BREAKING 14 suspects arrested in grandparent scam targeting seniors across Canada: Ontario police
An interprovincial investigation into an 'emergency grandparents scam' that targeted seniors across Canada has led to the arrest of 14 suspects, Ontario Provincial Police say.
Motion to allow keffiyehs at Ontario legislature fails
A motion to reverse a ban on the keffiyeh within Queen’s Park failed to receive unanimous consent Thursday just moments after Ontario Premier Doug Ford reiterated his view that prohibiting the garment in the House is divisive.
B.C. child killer's lawyer walks out of review hearing
The lawyer representing child-killer Allan Schoenborn walked out of his client's annual review hearing Wednesday – abruptly ending proceedings marked by tense exchanges and several outbursts.
How to avoid the trap of becoming 'house poor'
The journey to home ownership can be exciting, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew warns about the trappings of becoming 'house poor' -- where an overwhelming portion of your income is devoured by housing costs. Liew offers some practical strategies to maintain better financial health while owning a home.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
Juror dismissed in Trump hush money trial as prosecutors ask for former president to face contempt
Prosecutors in the hush money trial of Donald Trump asked Thursday for the former president to be held in contempt and fined because of seven social media posts that they said violated a judge's gag order barring him from attacking witnesses.
Why drivers in Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada will see a gas price spike, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
It's the biggest election in history. Here's why few Indians in Canada will take part
In the Indian general election that gets underway on Friday, almost a billion people are eligible to vote, but a vast majority of the overseas Indian community in Canada won't be casting a ballot.