Barrie Police discovered the scene of the accident at 2 a.m. Sunday near McKay Road and Veteran’s Drive, located between County Road 27 and Highway 400. That stretch of road is currently an active construction site and the this intersection has been closed since spring. the city was confirmed.
A makeshift memorial has begun to form near the site of the crash as grieving members of the community leave flowers and other mementos.
The victims – four men and two women – are all in their 20s, Jennett Mays, communications coordinator for the Barrie Police Department, told CTV News. They are believed to be the same group of people who had gone to a nearby casino together on Friday night and were reported missing the next day after friends lost contact with them.
While Barrie police have not released the names of those who died, details about their identities are beginning to emerge.
According to lacrosse coach and longtime sportscaster Jim Lowe, one of the youths killed is local player-turned-coach Luke West.
Lowe remembered the 22-year-old, whom he had known since he was eight, as an incredible man and “one hell of a lacrosse player.”
Luke West, shown in this photo, was among six people killed in a crash in Barrie. (Submitted) He said West was someone who gave back to the game he loved, volunteering at lacrosse clinics and then showing others “how to become better lacrosse players.” This summer, West was assistant coach of the Barrie Bombers U17-2 team. “He just did it because he wanted to give back and he became a role model for these young men,” Lowe said, adding that one of his favorite moments was scoring West’s first junior varsity goal. West appeared in six provincial championship finals, winning two of them – one as a player and the other as a coach, where he received a silver medal. “The game helped him in his life and took him places and gave him memories. … Unfortunately, this story ended too soon,” Lowe said. The Barrie Minor Lacrosse Association posted a tribute to West on its Facebook page, remembering him as a locker room favorite for his toughness, tenacity and incredible lacrosse IQ. “Westie – the impact you had on your teammates, coaches and the young people you coached is immeasurable. Few have worked harder in Bomber Blue, few can claim to have lifted us so high. We love you, miss you, and are grateful for the time we spent with you,” they wrote. Another victim, Haley Marin was mourned on social media by her best friend Karen Ross, who said Marin was the only friend she could share anything and everything with. Ross called her “a beautiful soul, person and friend.” The identities of the four other victims have not been independently confirmed. Barrie Mayor Jeff Lehman took to Twitter to offer his condolences. “My thoughts are with the friends and families of these young people and I know there will be many in our community who need support in the coming days and weeks,” he wrote in a post Sunday afternoon. Calling the tragedy his “worst nightmare” as a parent, Lehman urged people to “remember to show Barrie the power of compassion at this time and give respect and space to the families on this terrible day and in the days to come as the community mourns us.” Two members of the community stopped by the McKay Road area in Barrie with a bouquet of flowers on Sunday. Six local youths were killed in a single-vehicle crash over the weekend. Speaking to CP24, Lehman said this tragedy hit “our community very, very hard” as six local families “just had their lives torn apart in an instant.” The exact circumstances under which the accident occurred are still under investigation. Anyone with more information is asked to contact the Barrie Police Department. With files by Bryann Aguilar and Andrew Brennan of CTV News Toronto
