27-year-old identified as Hensall crash victim
A 27-year-old man has died after a single-vehicle crash near Hensall on Tuesday evening, according to police.
OPP, fire and EMS were called to the scene on Rodgerville Road near Ausable Line just after 7 p.m. where they found a heavily-damaged pickup truck that had collided with a concrete bridge abutment.
Evan Dickins of Hensall, the lone occupant of the vehicle, was pronounced deceased at the scene.
Marnie Hill has known Evan since he was two years old.
“There’s nobody here that doesn’t know him and I think it’s quite devastating to an entire community,” said Hill. “He always smiled. You always saw a smile on his face.”
She described Evan as a smart young man who was close with his family.
“He loved it here and he loved his friends and he loved his family,” she said. “No, he will never be forgotten.”
“We just saw them playing ball at the baseball diamond last night,” said Ashley Chillingworth, a friend of Evan and his family
“Everybody in town is going to miss him dearly. My condolences to out to the Dickins family.”
OPP couldn’t confirm if speed played a factor but told CTV News the investigation is still ongoing.
“It might be a little early to say for sure speed was a factor, but there is some indication based on the damage to the pickup truck and the damage to the bridge. There was a significant amount of force involved in this collision,” said Const. Jamie Stanley.
Stanley said a post-mortem exam is scheduled for Wednesday to determine if drugs or alcohol played a factor.
Condolences on social media read, "My heart goes to the Dickins family right now. They lost one heck of a brother, son, uncle and friend way to soon.... You always had the biggest smile and even a bigger heart to match it."
Because of damages to the bridge, police say Rodgerville Road has been temporarily closed.
- With files from CTV London's Jennifer Basa.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
IN PHOTOS Northern lights dance across the night sky in southern Ont.
From London, to Mildmay, Collingwood and St. Thomas, here are some highlights of Friday night and Saturday morning's northern lights display.
Cyclist issued fine for striking four-year-old girl crossing the street
A cyclist turned herself in and received a fine after striking a four-year-old girl who was crossing the street to catch a school bus.
Millions of Canadians have been exposed to potentially toxic chemicals, and they're not going anywhere
For decades, North Bay, Ontario's water supply has harboured chemicals associated with liver and developmental issues, cancer and complications with pregnancy. It's far from the only city with that problem.
Dutch contestant kicked out of Eurovision hours before tension-plagued song contest final
The Netherlands' contestant in the Eurovision Song Contest was dramatically expelled from competition hours before Saturday's final of the pan-continental pop competition, which has been rattled by protests over the participation of Israel.
'I am angry': Alberta farmers will continue fight over world class motorsport resort
The rolling hills leading to the hamlet of Rosebud are dotted with sprawling farms and cattle pastures -- and a sign sporting a simple message: No Race Track.
Bouchard lifts Edmonton Oilers to 4-3 overtime win over Canucks in Game 2
Evan Bouchard scored 5:38 into overtime and the Edmonton Oilers bounced back for a 4-3 win over the Vancouver Canucks in the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs on Friday.
Joe Biden wants to remind 2024 voters of a record and an agenda. Often it's Donald Trump's
Biden wants the 2024 election to be a referendum on Trump's record and plans, but he also wants voters to look favourably on his own policies and actions
opinion How to use your credit card as a powerful wealth-building tool
Irresponsibly using a credit card can land you in financial trouble, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew says when used properly, it can be a powerful wealth-building tool that can help grow your credit profile and create new opportunities.
Here's what 'the hinge' move is, how to do it correctly
When you're picking something up from the floor or bending over to tie your shoe laces, you're performing "the hinge move," according to movement trainers.