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Man arrested in TTC bus crash that injured 9 last year now facing charges in string of GTA home invasions, police say

Man arrested in TTC bus crash that injured 9 last year now facing charges in string of GTA home invasions, police say

Toronto Star13-05-2025

The man accused of crashing a stolen vehicle into a TTC bus last autumn is now facing charges related to a string of 'violent' home invasions that occurred days before the collision.
Toronto police responded to a collision between a white, stolen BMW X6 and the transit bus near Bathurst Street and Wilson Avenue shortly before 2 a.m. on Nov. 18. A total of nine people were sent to hospital, with two suffering life-threatening injuries.
WATCH EXCLUSIVE VIDEO
Video captures moment of impact as stolen BMW hits TTC bus, injuring five people
Estella Ren, Andy Takagi
Several days before, on Nov. 13, five people with their faces covered went to a home in Mississauga near Dundas Street West and Mississauga Road around 2:40 a.m., police said. They allegedly broke into the home through the front door, stole the victim's vehicle keys and drove off in their vehicle.
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Later that morning around 3:45 a.m., the thieves allegedly broke into another home near Countryside Drive and Goreway Drive in Brampton. With their faces still covered, they allegedly stole several items from the home while the victims were asleep.
Man in stolen BMW involved in TTC bus crash has history of car theft
Approximately two hours later around 6 a.m., the home invaders broke into a home near Major William Sharpe Drive and Flowertown Avenue in Brampton through the front door, police continued. They confronted the victims on the home's second floor and allegedly demanded their vehicle keys at gunpoint before fleeing in the victim's vehicle, Peel police wrote in a media release.
A 32-year-old man from Pickering has been charged with nine criminal offences related to the break-and-enters while he was already in custody in connection to the TTC bus collision. He was one of four people charged following the crash, including two 19-year-olds and a 33-year-old.
In a post on X following the crash, the Toronto Police Association said that two of the four people in the stolen BMW were on bail at the time of the crash, including one for a violent robbery.
News
Fourth suspect arrested in connection to carjacking and stolen BMW that crashed into TTC bus
Anastasia Blosser
Security footage released by Qunubu Cannabis, a business in the area, showed the dramatic moment of impact in the early hours of Nov. 18 that caused the TTC bus to careen 180 degrees after it was hit while passing through the intersection, slamming its rear end into a guardrail. Heavy smoke could be seen rising from the rear of the car after the collision.
Photos taken at the scene show the BMW destroyed from the impact — including a totalled hood, damaged rear and all four doors torn off — while the bus appeared severely damaged before it was towed away.
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The BMW was allegedly stolen at gunpoint on Nov. 1 near Sandalwood Parkway East and Conestoga Drive.
A stolen BMW was totalled and two people were sent to hospital with life-threatening injuries following a crash with a TTC bus early Monday morning. The crash occurred near Bathurst Street and Wilson Avenue around 1:50 a.m.
Read the full story: https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/two-people-in-stolen-bmw-involved-in-crash-with-ttc-bus-were-out-on-bail/article_339c9028-a59a-11ef-9d58-333a57e8ccfb.html
Investigators said a victim was travelling in their white BMW X6 when a black sedan cut them off. Two people, including one with a handgun, got out of the sedan and approached the victim demanding they hand over the vehicle, police said. The two then drove off in the BMW X6 with the black sedan travelling in tandem.
On the same day as the three break-and-enters, the stolen BMW was driven to a home near Bathurst Street and Brooke Avenue where five people got out of the car and used a rock to smash the front glass door. Police said they were unable to enter the home because the door was reinforced with security film.
The stolen BMW sustained substantial damage as a result of the collision.
Michelle Mengsu Chang/ Toronto Star
About half an hour later, police responded to another break-in at a residence near Bayview Avenue and York Mills. The five suspects allegedly forced open the front door, entered the home and took some personal items before fleeing the area in the same BMW X6.
The man from Pickering was subject to a judicial release order related to similar criminal offences. He was held for a bail hearing and appeared before the Ontario Court of Justice in Brampton, where he was remanded into custody pending a future bail hearing.
Peel police said the investigation is ongoing and they anticipate more charges will be laid.
With files from Andy Takagi and Estella Ren

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