3 women, 1 baby taken to hospital after serious crash at College and Bay

A woman is in hospital after suffering life-threatening injuries following a three-vehicle crash at College and Bay Streets that also sent two other women to hospital, along with a baby. 

Toronto paramedics say three of the people taken to hospital are pedestrians, but at least one driver was also among those hurt. The baby had been in the crosswalk with the two other women and suffered minor injuries, police say. 

Police now say the women who was in life-threatening condition has now stabilized. 

At least one person could be seen lying on the ground near a stretcher as paramedics and police responded to the crash, which happened around 3 p.m. and shortly before rush hour traffic. At least two damaged vehicles could be seen in the intersection, which was cordoned off by police tape.

The intersection was closed for several hours, but has since reopened. 

Sgt. Brett Moore with Traffic Services said an SUV driving north on Bay Street "violated a light," hitting two women walking in the intersection before hitting two other vehicles going west on College Street. 

In a statement to CBC News, Uber confirmed the driver was a driver-partner and the company has removed his access to the app. It's unknown, however, whether he was carrying any passengers at the time of the incident.

"We extend our thoughts to all those involved in this incident. We stand ready to assist authorities and will provide any information to them for their investigation," a spokesperson for Uber said. 

The incident was not believed to have been caused by a deliberate act, he said.

"Lots of people have questions about 'was this an intentional act, was there something more nefarious at play?' And I can tell you that ... that's not the case," Moore said from the scene at the intersection of College Street and Bay Street.

"It appears to be a vehicle that violated a light causing a chain reaction of events."

All of the drivers remained at the scene, he said.

Investigators are looking for witnesses, although Moore said the incident was likely captured on video. "There are cameras everywhere at the intersection," he said. 

Moore declined to say if charges were pending, citing the early stage of the investigation, but said the driver of the first vehicle remained at the scene.

Kevin Veliz, 24, said he was driving his truck west through the intersection and found himself in the thick of the crash.

"All I remember seeing is two people here hitting my truck," he said, adding that the pedestrians appeared to have been struck by another vehicle first. "As soon as they hit them, they ran right into my truck. T-boned me."

It's been a terrible week on Toronto's roads.

On Wednesday, a woman died after being hit by a truck, and was then hit by another driver. On Tuesday night, a man died after being struck in North York.