A man who was trapped on a snowy stretch of Highway 11 between collisions after between 50 and 60 vehicles were involved in a series of crashes near Orillia Friday morning is crying foul about having to pay $339 to have his vehicle towed from the scene.
The highway, from just north of Orillia to Line 11 in Oro-Medonte, was closed for several hours in both directions after the 9:07 a.m. collisions.
One person was killed in the pileup on Friday, and 11 others were hospitalized.
Two Orillia Transit buses were brought to the scene and transported those impacted by the crash to Rotary Place in Orillia, which was turned into a warming centre.
Tow trucks worked to clear away the wrecked cars, and crews then plowed the snow-covered road to be able to re-open it that evening.
“We were stuck there in our cars for about three hours until we were told by OPP to leave the vehicles and leave the keys behind and they told us they will take us to Rotary Place and have our cars towed to us,” Kyle Zardo, 32, of Orillia, explained.
Zardo said he got a call from police at 10 p.m. that night telling him his car was being towed to them and they would have to “settle up” with the tow truck driver.
“I made it clear to the officer that I shouldn’t have to pay for this since I wasn’t in an accident, but he didn’t seem to care,” he added.
“I don’t have $339 to spare. I don’t think it is something I should be responsible for, considering I did them a favour and got out of their way," Zardo lamented.
He said there were “dozens of us that would have been in the same boat.”
“I offered to pick up my car instead of a tow and he denied it. I offered to organize my own tow truck, which I could have done with my free roadside assistance, but he denied that, too,” Zardo said.
He claims the officer told him to go through his insurance company to pay for the tow.
“But they don’t cover that, as I wasn’t in an accident, so they are not going to pay for that, and I was told if I refused to pay, then the vehicle would be impounded (by police)," Zardo said.
He said he offered to just remain in his car and wait it out, but he claims the officer told him they would have to eventually “remove him.”
“I’m frustrated … I just don’t see how any of this makes sense,” he said.
Zardo believes the OPP should have some sort of emergency funds to pay for vehicle tows in this situation.
“I’m sure they do have a way to pay for it, but I’m not sure why it isn’t happening,” he added.
“I was also told that when this happened between Gravenhurst and Washago a month ago, that people’s towing bills were covered,” he added.
An OPP official said they see things differently.
“In response to the incident on Highway 11, the Ontario Provincial Police always prioritizes public safety when managing such situations,” police media relations officer A/Sgt. Jake Daynes said on Sunday.
“After evaluating the circumstances, we determined that the safest course of action was to transport all drivers who were stranded in the area to Rotary Place, where they were provided with food and warmth. While evacuation protocols may vary from incident to incident, the core priority remains consistent: ensuring the safety and well-being of the public,” he added.
With respect to towing of vehicles stranded on the highway, the OPP said they do not set the rates for these services.
“We rely on the Tow Association for all towing needs,” Daynes said.
“If individuals requested their own tow companies, such as CAA, we would have had to wait for those companies' availability, which could have further delayed the reopening of the road," Daynes said.
"Additionally, given the high demand for tow services in the area, we limit the number of tow trucks at the scene to avoid congestion and further complications,” he added.
In regards to the issue of drivers remaining in their vehicles, Daynes noted the collision occurred at approximately 9:07 a.m., and the road was not reopened until 11:06 p.m., which meant some individuals would have been in their vehicles for up to 14 hours.
“Due to the closure of the highway in both directions, we were unable to facilitate the delivery of food or water,” Daynes said.
“Had drivers stayed they would have been advised to remain in their vehicles for safety reasons, as we could not permit them to exit under the circumstances. We did not feel that this was a safe decision as officers on scene would be concerned for the motorists' well-being, and officers would be taken away from the investigation to be checking in with motorists who stayed,” he added.
While these situations are “far from ideal,” Daynes said the OPP strives to make decisions that ensure the safety of all involved.
“We work closely with our community partners and relevant agencies to make well-informed decisions during such complex events,” Daynes said.
