

Joshua Freeman and Chris Fox, CP24.com





A 68-year-old woman has been pronounced dead after a sport utility vehicle smashed through the front of a dance studio in the Beach and struck three people taking part in a class.

It happened at a building at the corner of Queen Street East and Spruce Hill Road, which is west of Victoria Park Avenue, at around 10:15 a.m.

Const. Clint Stibbe told CP24 that the 65-year-old driver of the Toyota Rav4 was attempting to exit a laneway when she somehow lost control, crossed over a concrete barrier and smashed into the dance studio a level below the parking.

The vehicle struck three people in the crash.

The 68-year-old woman was pinned against the wall and sustained critical injuries. She was rushed to hospital where she died a short time later. A man sustained serious injuries and was taken to hospital, but his injuries are considered non-life-threatening, Stibbe said. Another woman sustained minor injuries and was treated at the scene.

The driver of the vehicle remained at the scene and was treated for minor injuries.

Speaking with CP24, a nearby store owner said the collision came as a shock and called it “disturbing.”

“It’s very unfortunate,” Rob Norton said. “These people knew each other, worked out together. And to find out now that we lost one of the ladies… It’s just a sad day. Very sad.”

He said a group of eight or so people from the area regularly work out together. He said the driver of vehicle also frequents the plaza and lives in the area.

The landlord of the plaza confirmed that the driver was on her way to attend a class at the plaza and said that the driver and the victim knew each other.

Stibbe said it’s still unclear how the car ended up in the studio.

“The building itself is lower than the vehicle, so literally it would have flown through the air into the dance studio,” he said.

Stibbe said police will be downloading information from the vehicle’s computer to try and piece together the events.

“We are still appealing for witnesses,” Stibbe said. “If there is anyone that did see anything we would ask that they contact police as soon as possible.”

Spruce Hill Road has been closed at Queen Street while police conduct a full reconstruction of the accident.