People ‘strewn all over road’ as van jumps kerb

Canada: Police say too early to tell driver’ s motive after injuries

A van apparently jumped a kerb at a busy road junction in Toronto and struck eight to 10 people and fled the scene yesterday before it was found and the driver taken into custody, police said.

It was not immediately clear what caused the van to strike the pedestrians in the north-central part of the Canadian city.

The police did not immediately identify the driver.

“At this point it’s too early to tell what if any motive there was.

“We are also unable right now to tell the extent or the number of persons injured,” Toronto police spokeswoman Meaghan Gray said.

One witness, Phil Zullo, said he saw police arresting a man who had been driving a Ryder rental truck and people “strewn all over the road”.

“It must have seen about five, six people being resuscitated by bystanders and by ambulance drivers,” Mr Zullo said. “It was awful. Brutal.”

Paramedic spokeswoman Kim McKinnon said first responders were on scene treating multiple patients, but would not confirm the number or severity of injuries.

Police shut down the junction of Yonge and Finch following the incident and Toronto’s transit agency said it has suspended service on the subway line running through the area.

The incident occurred as cabinet ministers from major industrial countries gathered in Canada to discuss a range of international issues in the run-up to the G7 meeting near Quebec City in June.

Prime minister Justin Trudeau expressed his sympathies for those involved. “Our hearts go out to everyone affected.”

CHAOS: The van involved in the incident in which at least eight people were struck by the driver who was later arrested