A woman and a child were rushed to hospital after being struck by a vehicle following a collision in Brampton on Monday afternoon.
Police say that two vehicles were involved in a collision near Malta Avenue and Ray Lawson Boulevard at around 1:40 p.m.
One of the vehicles then struck the woman and the child, who were standing on a curb at the time, and slammed into a tree.
“From what I understand the female pedestrian and child were possibly waiting to cross the road,” Const. Sarah Patton told reporters at the scene. “This looks like it could have been a non-avoidable freak accident.”
Paramedics say that they transported a total of four people to hospital following the incident.
The two drivers both sustained minor injuries while the female pedestrian sustained critical injuries and the child sustained serious injuries.
The child was “conscious and breathing” at the scene, according to police.
Shortly before 7:15 p.m., Peel police said both the female pedestrian and child are in non-life-threatening condition.
Patton would not say whether speed may have played a role in the collision when asked on Monday afternoon but did say that the pedestrians were likely just in the wrong place at the wrong time.
She said that the Peel Regional Police Major Collision Bureau has been notified but has not formally taken carriage of the investigation at this point.
“These are very unfortunate circumstances and I don’t believe the pedestrians could have necessarily done anything to avoid this happening. It is very scary,” Patton said. “If I could give any recommendations to anyone I would say if you are a pedestrian and you are waiting to cross the street or waiting for a bus try to stay as far back from the road as you can because these freak accidents can happen.”
The roads in the area have reopened, but police continue to investigate.
Police are asking anyone who have witnessed the collision to call investigators.
