Updated at 4:19 p.m. Jan. 3
The victim has been identified and Nicholas Aaron Cada of Peterborough. He was 32 years old.
Original story
One man is dead following three separate collisions that happened “within seconds” of one another on Highway 69 South, said the Ontario Provincial Police.
The collisions all happened around 3 p.m. just south of Richard Lake.
The investigation is still in the very early stages, but from what police have been able to piece together, it seems a first south-bound minivan ended up on its side in the north-bound ditch when it lost control and crossed the centre line. The two occupants suffered minor injuries and were taken to Health Sciences North.
Police said black ice may have been a factor.
A second south-bound SUV, in an attempt to avoid the first vehicle, entered the ditch on the south-bound lane. There were no injuries.
Directly following that, a south-bound car collided with a north-bound vehicle.
“The south-bound vehicle lost control and crossed the centre line and was struck by a north-bound vehicle,” said OPP Const. Rob St. Marseille.
There were four occupants in the south-bound vehicle. One was killed, the other three were injured.
Four people in the north-bound vehicle were injured.
They were all taken to Health Sciences North. The extent of their injuries are unknown at this time.
The highway is expected to be closed for several more hours, said the OPP.
