Shocked St. Thomas, Ont., mourns death of child, injury of 4 other pedestrians

A man charged with impaired driving causing death is set to make a court appearance in St. Thomas, Ont., this morning, hours after a child was killed and a woman critically injured in a crash that also injured three other pedestrians Tuesday evening. 

By Wednesday morning the roadblocks at the intersection where the fatal collision took place were gone, replaced with mementos and flowers laid down to commemorate and honour the victims.

"It's scary being right at the corner. People are rushing to make this light," said James McConnell, a man who came to the site with his three young sons to honour the spirit of the child who died.

The family, who are First Nations, put down tobacco and sage and smudged the site of the memorial. They laid down teddy bears and prayed as well.

St. Thomas police responded to the crash on Talbot Street just before 5 p.m., Tuesday. A red pickup truck was moving westbound on the street when it jumped the curb and struck the pedestrians, who have not been identified, while they were on the sidewalk, according to police spokesperson Samantha Wakefield.

The driver of the truck has been arrested and charged with impaired driving causing death, and impaired driving causing bodily harm, with a preliminary court appearance set for Wednesday, police said.

The three pedestrians were treated for non-life-threatening injuries, Wakefield added.

The stretch of Talbot Street near Caso Crossing sees its fair share of pedestrian traffic, according to locals. Close calls have happened in the past, McConnell said.

"My fiancée broke down (when she heard what happened) last night, crying and saying it could have been them," he said. "It's a tragic, tragic event. It wasn't something that [anybody] wants to see or hear. It was an eye opener."

More to come.