Head on crash south of Puslinch

(Update)

Six people are in hospital after two separate crashes on roads around our region Friday evening. Ornge air ambulance was called to both — one on highway 52 in Hamilton — the other in Puslinch on highway six.

People living on highway 6 in Puslinch near Macphersons’ Lane could hear the impact.

Anita Nichol lives nearby: “Were there screeching tires?’ No, nothing. Just the bang.”

One of the first people at the crash was Justine Rochon — a nurse on her way to pick her kids up from daycare: “The one person was not responsive at first and the other two gentlemen were badly squished underneath the car.”

Rochon assisted paramedics — helping to start an IV for one of the victims: “They had a couple of attempts and weren’t able to do it and I was really happy to be able to do the IV. It was good to help.”

A man, who was previously trapped in a van, was rushed to a waiting Ornge helicopter where he was taken to Hamilton General. Another man in the van was taken to hospital by land ambulance.

Jim Godfrey is with Puslinch Fire: “I believe they’re stable but they’re both on route to Hamilton to the trauma unit to be checked out.”

A third person in a Lexus SUV was rushed to Guelph with unknown injuries. Wellington County OPP say the Lexus was driving north on highway 6 when it collided head on with the van.

Witnesses say the SUV had been swerving.

Sgt. Mike Ashley is with Wellington County OPP: “We have our accident reconstruction that’s attending the scene now to get a better idea what happened.”

Then later, on highway 52 — a similar scene near Governors Road. A collision between a truck and a Toyota Matrix sent one patient to Hamilton General and two others to Brantford General Hospital.

Air ambulance was standing by — the same chopper that had just taken the man to Hamilton General from the highway 6 crash that had come straight to the scene from the hospital’s helipad — but all three were taken to hospital by land ambulance.

Hamilton police are investigating.

Hamilton police have confirmed to us that the female driver of the Matrix has been arrested for driving with more than 80 milligrams of alcohol in her blood. The injuries in that crash are minor and the highway is expected to be reopened by midnight.

Highway 6 is still closed between Townline and Leslie as police reconstruction investigates.