SHUNIAH, Ont. – Police have released the identity of two people killed in a multi-vehicle collision on Highway 11/17 on Monday.
Ontario Provincial Police said 61-year-old Joann Mendowegan, from Thunder Bay, and 46-year-old Christopher Towegishig, from Greenstone, were killed when the SUV they were travelling in was involved in the crash on the highway east of Thunder Bay near Pearl Road 5.
According to a release issued on Tuesday morning, their eastbound SUV attempted to make a left turn into a rest stop when it was struck from behind by a tractor trailer, resulting in a second collision with a westbound pick-up truck.
Mendowegan and Towegishig were pronounced dead at the scene.
Four occupants of the pick-up truck were sent to hospital with non life-threatening injuries. The driver of the transport unit, who was not injured, has been charged with careless driving under the Highway Traffic Act.
OPP’s technical collision investigators attended the scene to assist with the investigation.
The highway was closed for about eight hours as a result of the crash.
The investigation continues.
