LONDON, Ontario — A devastating collision in rural Ontario has claimed the lives of four teenage girls and their beloved teacher as they returned from a school softball tournament, shaking the close-knit town of Walkerton and prompting an outpouring of grief.
The victims — all students at Walkerton District Community School — were riding in a sport utility vehicle driven by 33-year-old teacher and coach Matt Eckert when it collided with a tractor-trailer around 4:30 p.m. Friday at a rural intersection near London, Ontario. A second SUV then struck the wreckage, according to the Ontario Provincial Police.
Eckert and all four students were killed. Two 17-year-old girls and a 16-year-old girl were pronounced dead at the scene, while a fourth 16-year-old died after being airlifted to a hospital. Eckert, initially rushed to a medical center, also succumbed to his injuries.
Authorities have not yet determined the cause of the crash. The driver of the tractor-trailer and both occupants of the second SUV suffered non-life-threatening injuries.
The teen victims were identified as Rowan McLeod, Kaydance Ford, Danica Baker, and Olivia Rourke. The group had just finished competing in a softball tournament at Slo-Pitch City in Dorchester, a venue only 20 minutes from the crash site, following a two-hour drive from their hometown.
The girls played their final game at 2 p.m. Friday, just hours before the crash. Their team placed second in the tournament, and the players were reportedly elated after receiving their medals.
“They were so excited to get their medals for second place,” said tournament organizer Marnie Spencer, speaking to the London Free Press. “And something like that happens. It’s so devastating.”
The tragic deaths have sparked widespread mourning across Walkerton. On Sunday evening, hundreds gathered at a candlelight vigil outside the high school where the students studied and where Eckert also served as a teacher and lacrosse coach.
Softball and volleyball communities identified the victims publicly. The Tara Twins Minor Softball Association confirmed McLeod and Ford were members of their team.
“This tragedy hits harder for this association knowing that they were returning from playing the very sport of softball,” the team said in a heartfelt statement.
The Bluewater Ballistix Volleyball Club also confirmed Baker as one of their athletes.
National leaders responded to the tragedy with condolences. Prime Minister Mark Carney posted on social media, calling the crash “heartbreaking” and the loss “unimaginable.”
“No family, no classmate, no school should ever have to endure this,” he wrote.
Police say the investigation into the rural intersection crash is ongoing, and further details about what caused the collision have yet to be released.
This tragedy has left an irreparable scar on the Walkerton community, cutting short the lives of four young athletes and a teacher remembered not only for his coaching but for his deep commitment to his students.
