Man, 31, arrested after crashing into several vehicles in Etobicoke, police say

A man has been arrested after crashing into several vehicles in Etobicoke on Monday with three people sent to hospital as a result, police say.

Police responded to a crash at Lake Shore Boulevard West and Kipling Avenue at about 3 p.m., according to Duty Insp. Brian Maslowski, spokesperson for the Toronto Police Service. 

Maslowski said the driver of a white Jaguar SUV struck a vehicle and fled eastbound on Lake Shore Boulevard West, hitting several more vehicles between Sixth Street and Fifth Street. Eleven vehicles, including the white SUV, were damaged.

The man had been driving erratically before the crash and was seen driving on the sidewalk near Lakefront Promenade, according to a police news release Tuesday. The car was missing its front right tire. 

Three people went to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. One of the three was the man driving the white SUV. A fourth person suffered minor injuries but was not taken to hospital. All of the injured were drivers, he said.

"This is quite a horrific scene here with a number of vehicles damaged, and obviously, a number of injuries," Maslowski told reporters near the scene. 

No pedestrians were struck, he said.

The man, 31, will be charged with dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, he added. Police said the investigation is continuing.

Maslowski said police are looking for information on the man's driving behaviour before the crash.

The collision left debris scattered across Lake Shore Boulevard West.

Andy Dinner, a pedestrian, said he was at the intersection when he heard people screaming and saw a white vehicle in the air flip in his direction and strike a blue truck.

"If it wasn't for that blue truck being there, that white car would have landed on me," Dinner said. 

"I just kind of stopped. I was just looking. I didn't have any time to process it. The first thing I did was just pull out my phone and call 911 and ran over to every car to make sure no one was dead."

Dinner said the driver of the white vehicle ended up upside down in the passenger seat. He said the driver appeared to be going over the speed limit in the wrong direction on Lake Shore Boulevard West.

"It's insane that no one is dead," Dinner added. 

Michael Mueller, whose blue truck was hit, also said the driver of the white SUV was going the wrong way.

Mueller said he didn't realize his truck was damaged until he tried to open the door to get out and it would not open. He said he didn't know what to make of the crash.

"I think people are taking way too many liberties with their driving," he said.

"We're fine so that's all that matters. Unfortunately, I have to shop for a truck now that the tariffs are on."

Anyone who was on Lake Shore Boulevard west of Fifth Street at about 3 p.m. or who may have security or dash cam footage of the incident is being asked to contact police.

All roads in the area that were closed for the investigation have been reopened.