Five people, including a beloved teacher and four teenage students, died in a multi-vehicle collision on May 23, 2025, while returning home from a softball tournament in southwestern Ontario. The fatal crash occurred around 4:30 p.m. at the intersection of Thorndale Road and Cobble Hills Road in Middlesex County, approximately 15 minutes northeast of London.
The victims were identified as Matt Eckert, 33, a teacher and coach at Walkerton District Community School, and four female students: Olivia Rourke, Rowan McLeod, Kaydance Ford, and Danica Baker. Two of the girls were 17 years old and two were 16. They had been traveling back to Walkerton, a town in Bruce County, Ontario, after participating in the 27th annual Girls’ High School Invitational Slo-Pitch Tournament in Dorchester.
According to Ontario Provincial Police, the group’s SUV collided with a transport truck before being struck by a second SUV. Two 17-year-old girls and one 16-year-old girl were pronounced dead at the scene. Eckert and another 16-year-old girl were transported to hospital with life-threatening injuries, where both later died. The 16-year-old girl was airlifted by Ornge air ambulance. The transport truck driver and occupants of the second SUV sustained minor injuries.
Eckert served as both a teacher at the school and assistant coach with the Owen Sound NorthStars Junior B Lacrosse club. The lacrosse organization expressed its grief in a statement, with general manager Ethan Woods noting that Eckert had an indescribable connection with players and served as a best friend to fellow coaches. Woods described Eckert’s infectious smile and caring heart as qualities that would never be forgotten.
Two of the teenage victims, McLeod and Ford, were members of the Tara Twins U18 girls softball team. Ford was coached by McLeod’s father, Mike McLeod. The softball league indicated that their entire organization was reeling from the loss and extended condolences to the families, friends, and teammates of the athletes. Danica Baker was identified as a member of the Bluewater Ballistix U17G volleyball team, described by those who knew her as a true ray of light whose spirit illuminated every room and volleyball court.
The Walkerton community responded with an outpouring of grief and support. Hundreds of residents gathered for a vigil outside the school on May 25, 2025, lighting candles and placing flowers at a growing memorial. Municipal flags were lowered to half-staff, and residents placed running shoes on their porches and left lights on in honor of the victims and their families.
Chris Peabody, mayor of Brockton municipality, which encompasses Walkerton, characterized the community’s mood as absolutely terrible following the crash. He described the situation as an incomprehensible tragedy, noting that the town was simultaneously grieving a worker who died at a local manufacturing plant on the same day. Peabody emphasized that every organization, workplace, school, and family connected to the victims would be negatively impacted.
The Bluewater District School Board deployed grief counseling services and one-on-one support for students and staff struggling with the loss. Board spokesperson Jamie Petit described the ordeal as a time of unimaginable grief that would leave a huge void in the community extending far beyond the initial grief stage. The board’s Tragedy Response Team was scheduled to remain at the school throughout the week following the crash.
High-level officials extended condolences to the affected families and community. Prime Minister Mark Carney characterized the deaths as heartbreaking and noted that “this is an unimaginable loss” that no family, classmate or school should endure. Ontario Premier Doug Ford expressed devastation over the crash and extended thoughts to the families and loved ones grieving the terrible loss.
Funeral services for the five victims were held May 31-June 1, 2025, across several midwestern Ontario communities. A joint service for Rourke and Baker was planned at the Walkerton Community Centre, while separate memorials for Ford and McLeod were arranged at the Chesley arena and ball diamond, respectively. Eckert’s funeral was scheduled at an Owen Sound high school.
The investigation into the cause of the collision remains ongoing, with Ontario Provincial Police requesting anyone with dashcam footage or information about the crash to contact authorities or provide anonymous tips through Crime Stoppers. The intersection where the crash occurred was closed for several hours but has since reopened to traffic.
