Driver faces impaired charges in crash that killed woman

A single mother has died from her injuries and her boyfriend is facing drunk driving charges after a two-vehicle crash late Sunday near the WFCU Centre.

Friends of Cindy Harrison, a 39-year-old single mother of two, said Wednesday she succumbed to her injuries following the collision in the 8700 block of McHugh Street.

Her friends and co-workers at Extendicare Tecumseh, where she was a personal support worker for 12 years, were devastated by the tragic news.

“She comes off as quiet, but she’s our girl,” said Kayla Mummery.

“Once you get to know her she’s very open, she’s very loving, she’s funny.”

“When she opened up she was very loud, she was constantly laughing, constantly smiling. She literally would light up our unit as soon as she walked in the building in the morning. She was well-loved by a lot of people.”

The crash involved a Buick Rainier SUV and a Honda Civic, which were both heavily damaged. It happened Sunday shortly before midnight in the 8700 block of McHugh Street at the intersection with Mickey Renaud Way.

Police said following the collision that a passenger in the Buick suffered life-threatening injuries.

Officers arrested the 46-year-old driver of the SUV at the scene of the crash.

They said Monday that he would be charged with two counts of impaired driving causing bodily harm and two counts of having blood alcohol exceeding 80 milligrams causing bodily harm.

Investigators have yet to confirm if those charges will be upgraded following the woman’s death. They also haven’t released his name.

Friends of Harrison said the man driving the car was her boyfriend.

Police said two people in the Honda Civic were also hurt, one of them sustaining serious injuries.

“I’m still in shock,” said Mummery. “I don’t think it’s a reality for a lot of people yet. We’re still grieving it and trying to comprehend everything that happened.”

Mummery and Alva Morris, another co-worker at Extendicare Tecumseh, have started a fundraising campaign for Harrison’s children. Her son Keegan is 19.

Her daughter Kailey is just four years old.

Mummery said they are also in the process of setting up a benefit dinner. To donate, contact her on her Kayla Rose Mummery Facebook page.

Other friends have also started a separate GoFundMe page called Cindy Harrison’s Little Family.