INNISFIL — A York Region man remains in a Toronto hospital with life-threatening injuries following a tow-truck rollover on Highway 400, Monday morning.
A 28-year-old Wasaga Beach woman, who was a passenger in the vehicle, sustained minor injuries as a result of the rollover, which happened in the southbound lanes shortly before 8:30 a.m., yesterday.
Acting Sgt. Dan Hunter, with the OPP's Highway Safety Division, said the preliminary investigation has revealed seatbelt use was a factor in the severity of the injuries.
“We had one party who was belted – the female with minor injuries – and one party that was not belted, who was ejected and sustained life-threatening injuries,” Hunter told BarrieToday.
Hunter said the man, who was the driver, was ejected from the vehicle through a window, landing on the grass next to the vehicle.
The 21-year-old man was taken to Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre and then airlifted to Sunnybrook Health Science Centre in Toronto, where he remains.
Hunter said it appears the driver of the vehicle lost control while trying to make a lane change and get into the ONroute facility where it entered the ditch and flipped.
“It was a lane change, possibly a last-minute lane change to try to get into the service centre,” he said. “We did a download on the vehicle. The speed was normal.”
Hunter said alcohol or drugs were not a factor in the incident.
“It was just a lane change and a loss of control,” he said.
