Deadly Barrie, Ont. crash investigation will take time: police
Police continue to search for answers after six young lives were cut short in the early morning hours Saturday in Barrie, Ont. and remain tight-lipped about the details surrounding the investigation.
Barrie police say they expect the probe into the "tragic event" to take some time to complete.
WHAT WE KNOW
Three of the victims were reported missing earlier in the day on Saturday.
Police posted pictures of Curtis King, 22, River Wells, 21, and Jason Ono-O'Connor, 23, after they were alerted the group hadn't been in contact with family or friends since early that morning.
"It's out of character to not have made contact," Barrie police told CTV News at the time.
Shortly afterwards, police added Luke West, 22, to the group of those missing.
And a few hours later, two young women, Jersey Mitchell, 20, and Haley Marin, 21, were also added to the missing persons post.
THE CRASH
Friends close to the six missing individuals said each of their phones were going straight to voicemail.
They believe the group was on their way to the casino at Georgian Downs around 6 a.m. Saturday, but they never made it.
"The group of young people killed on the weekend in that tragic car accident did not visit the casino," stated Rob Mitchell, Gateway Casinos and Entertainment communications director.
"The police have been to the site [casino] and reviewed all surveillance footage and spoke with staff, and they did not attend the casino over the weekend. There have been some rumours, I am told, posted on social media claiming to have seen one or more of their party at the casino. This is not true," Mitchell added.
It wasn't until 2 a.m., nearly 20 hours after they were last seen, that the car was found with all six inside, having crashed into a large, deep concrete pit in a construction zone along McKay Road.
No one survived.
The crash happened at an active construction site in Barrie, the city confirmed. (CTV News Toronto)
- READ: Friends and family identify all six people killed in Barrie crash
- 6 people reported missing believed to be victims of fatal crash in Barrie
According to the City of Barrie, the area is the site of an infrastructure project with new water mains and sanitary sewers being built at McKay Road and Veterans Drive.
"McKay Rd sewer work is scheduled to continue along with watermain installation on Veterans Dr during the summer months," the City's website notes. "Motorists are reminded that there is no access through the road closure or work zone."
THE VICTIMS
"Great spirits. The nicest people you could ever think of, the nicest people," said Cole Vergeylen, who went to high school with River Wells, Luke West and Curtis King, calling the trio hardworking student athletes - strong, smart, and loyal.
River Wells, 20, is pictured in this undated photo. (Supplied)
"Curtis King ran a site. He was a foreman. I'd see him 8 o'clock right before Home Depot would shut with his steel toes and a smile on his face," Vergeylen added.
Curtis King, 22, of Barrie, Ont., is pictured in Barrie, Ont. (Supplied)
Several family members visited the crash site Tuesday, escorted by the police.
Jersey Mitchell's family left behind this inscription from the classic Robert Munsch children's book, "Love You Forever," ending the message, "As long as I'm living, my baby you'll be."
A cross is left by the Jersey Mitchell family at the crash site on Tues., Aug. 30, 2022 (CTV News/Mike Arsalides)
On Tuesday, Georgian College issued a statement confirming Jason Ono-O'Connor was an exceptional student on the Dean's list in the automotive business degree program.
Jason Ono-O'Connor is pictured in this undated photo. (Supplied by Georgian College)
The 23-year-old had recently been chosen to be a director in the 2023 Georgian Auto Show, "a highly sought role among our students," the college noted.
In his memory, the Georgian flag has been lowered at the Barrie campus.
A vigil is planned for Saturday at 8 p.m. at the Spirit Catcher along Barrie's waterfront to honour the six young lives taken too soon.
With files from CTV's Mike Arsalides
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