KAWARTHA LAKES-Three people from a Peterborough family are among the victims of a horrible crash on Highway 7 near Peterborough yesterday.
OPP was called to a head-on collision involving a pick-up truck and a sport utility vehicle (SUV) occurred at approximately 5:15pm Tuesday. Four victims were pronounced deceased. One victim has been transported to a Toronto area hospital with life-threatening injuries.
The cause of the collision remains under investigation. Highway 7 was closed between Keene Road and Heritage Line while members trained in collision reconstruction measured and documented the scene.
Two parents and one of the children from the MacHart (Hart/MacDonnell) family died in the crash and another child was airlifted to Sick Kids Hospital in Toronto. A Go Fund Me has been set up for the family.
“It is with the heaviest heart that we are writing this… We are absolutely devastated by the sudden and tragic deaths of Stefphanie, Jon, Riddick on the evening of Nov. 22nd. Rowghan was airlifted to Sick Kids and we are still waiting on an update.” said Tanya Hart on the fundraising campaign.  “We have set up this GoFundMe in hopes of raising enough money for expenses and any care Rowghan may need.”
Riddick was a student a Thomas A Stewart Secondary School and one of the deceased parents worked at the school.
“We have some very sad news to share that affects many people in our KPR community.” said Rita Russo, Director of Education, Kawartha Pine Ridge District School board. “Last evening, you may have heard about a serious vehicle collision just east of Peterborough. We have learned that an entire family at Thomas A Stewart (TAS) has been deeply impacted by this terrible accident, including the death of a student and both parents, one of whom is a TAS staff member. Another family member was involved, also a student at TAS, and has been airlifted to hospital.”
The board has brought in the support of the mental health clinicians at the board for both students and staff at TAS and other impacted schools.
“If you feel your child is in need of professional support, please contact your school. The flags at TAS, the Education Centre, and other schools have been lowered to half-mast as we grieve this tragic loss,” said Russo. “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.”
