Toronto family ‘devastated' after three kids killed in alleged drunk driving crash
Ramone Lavina, 15, his younger brother Jace, 13, and their six-year-old sister Mya died in a collision on May 18 that Toronto police allege was caused by an impaired teen driver.
The family's lawyer confirmed a publication ban on the children's identities was lifted on Thursday.
Police have said the crash happened shortly after midnight at the eastbound off-ramp at Renforth Drive and Highway 401. They said a 19-year-old behind the wheel of a Dodge Caravan was allegedly speeding as he exited the highway, lost control, went over a raised median and slammed into a Chrysler Pacifica minivan that was stopped at a red light.
Inside the minivan were a mother, her four children and a male acquaintance of the family, police said.
Ramone and Jace were pronounced dead at the scene, while Mya was rushed to hospital but died a short time later.
The mother, Jade Galve, her 10-year-old child Avery and the male driver were taken to hospital in stable condition.
The Lavina-Galve family said they are reeling from the 'unimaginable tragedy,' and they thanked the first responders, hospital staff and community members who have provided support.
'Although we remain utterly devastated, we are now in the process of planning the funeral for our three dear children, which is something no parent should ever have to endure,' the family said in a statement through their lawyer.
An online obituary says a funeral for the children is scheduled for June 14.
Police said 19-year-old Ethan Lehouillier of Georgetown, Ont., was arrested at the scene of the crash and faces 12 charges, including three counts of impaired driving causing death and three counts of impaired driving causing bodily harm. The allegations have not been tested in court.
Jim Cantos, a family friend, said in an interview after the crash that the Lavina siblings were 'tight-knit.'
He said he's known the Lavina family for years — the children's father, Maverick Lavina, is an old friend of his sister's, and they went to high school together.
'The kids were very respectful,' said Cantos, who coached Ramone at Toronto Future Phenom, a basketball training program in Scarborough.
'Whenever Ramone came to practice, his siblings were there as well, cheering him on. I believe they did everything together.'
Cantos said the Lavinas are Filipino Canadian and he'd heard from many in the community who are shaken by the news. He said the family is well-liked in the community.
'The Filipino community is hit hard by this,' he said, adding it's been a tough time for Filipino Canadians, especially after the late April tragedy at a Filipino street festival in Vancouver, where 11 people were killed after an SUV rammed into a crowd.
'Filipinos, we move as a group… We are very tight family-wise and community-wise,' said Cantos.
'No parent wants to go through something as tragic as burying their own kid. That's something that a kid does to their parents, not the other way around.'
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 2, 2025.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Toronto Star
3 days ago
- Toronto Star
City of Vancouver to move roadside memorial to festival victims to cemetery site
Women pause at a memorial during a vigil on a provincial day of mourning for the victims of the vehicle-ramming attack at the Filipino community's Lapu Lapu Day festival last week, in Vancouver, on Friday, May 2, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck DD flag wire: true flag sponsored: false article_type: : sWebsitePrimaryPublication : publications/toronto_star bHasMigratedAvatar : false :
Winnipeg Free Press
5 days ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Philippines blames China for South China Sea collision in disputed waters
MANILA, Philippines (AP) — The Philippine military on Tuesday blamed China for the collision of two Chinese navy and coast guard ships while trying to drive the Philippine coast guard and fishermen from a disputed shoal in the South China Sea. It said it would assess how to respond to Beijing's use of military force against civilians. Philippine authorities said Monday's accidental collision resulted in visibly heavy damages to the Chinese coast guard and navy ships and possible injuries. The confrontation near the Scarborough Shoal was the latest flare-up of the long-simmering territorial standoff in the contested waters, a long-feared flashpoint in Asia. The United States, a longtime treaty ally of the Philippines, on Tuesday condemned the 'latest reckless action by China directed against a Philippine vessel.' The Chinese coast guard on Monday blamed Philippine vessels for the confrontation and said it was forced to expel the vessels after they intruded into 'China's inherent territory,' despite warnings. It did not mention the collision or possible casualties. Video footage made public by the Philippine coast guard shows a Chinese navy ship with the bow number 164 slamming into the bow of a Chinese coast guard ship while both try to block and force a Philippine patrol ship, the BRP Suluan, away from Scarborough. The Chinese coast guard ship can be seen using its water cannon. The video shows the heavily shattered bow of the Chinese coast guard ship, where at least two Chinese personnel were seen standing shortly before the crash. The Chinese navy ship sustained deep dents and what appeared to be linear cuts on its hull. BRP Suluan offered medical help by two-way radio to the Chinese coast guard, fearing the collision may have caused injuries to its personnel, but the Philippine coast guard said it received no response. Gan Yu, a spokesperson for the Chinese coast guard in Beijing, said Monday that the Philippine vessels intruded into Chinese territorial waters off the shoal, prompting its forces to take 'necessary measures, including monitoring, forcing, intercepting and controlling the Philippine vessels to expel them.' The chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr., told reporters in Manila that the video footage clearly showed that the Chinese navy ship maneuvered to ram the BRP Suluan, which had to move to avoid being hit. As a result, the Chinese navy ship instead hit the Chinese coast guard ship, which was also closely chasing the Philippine vessel, Brawner said. 'China's aggressive actions were very clear in this incident,' Brawner said. 'They were at fault because of their aggressive maneuvers. We were there to protect Filipino fishermen in the Scarborough Shoal. That was our only objective because that's our traditional fishing ground.' Asked if China's deployment of military force against civilians was a change in tactic, Brawner said it was. He said the Philippine military would assess how to respond in consultation with the coast guard and would seek guidance from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. 'Now they are deploying their PLA navy, and this is one symbol of China's aggressiveness,' he said, referring to China's People's Liberation Army. 'We'll discuss possible steps and our future tactics to counter China's actions to stop us from getting access (to Scarborough).' Chinese officials did not immediately comment on Brawner's statement but Gan Yu insisted its forces would be 'resolutely safeguarding China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.' ___ Associated Press journalist Huizhong Wu contributed to this report.
Calgary Herald
6 days ago
- Calgary Herald
Video shows Chinese ships collide while pursuing Philippine boat in South China Sea
MANILA, Philippines — A Chinese navy vessel collided with one from its own coast guard while chasing a Philippine patrol boat in the South China Sea on Monday, Manila said, releasing dramatic video footage of the confrontation. Article content The incident occurred near the contested Scarborough Shoal as the Philippine Coast Guard escorted boats distributing aid to fishermen in the area, spokesman Commodore Jay Tarriela said in a statement. Article content Article content Video released by Manila showed a China Coast Guard ship and a much larger vessel bearing the number 164 on its hull colliding with a loud crash. Article content Article content 'The (China Coast Guard vessel) CCG 3104, which was chasing the (Filipino coast guard vessel) BRP Suluan at high speed, performed a risky manoeuvre from the (Philippine) vessel's starboard quarter, leading to the impact with the PLA (People's Liberation Army) Navy warship,' Tarriella said in a statement. Article content 'This resulted in substantial damage to the CCG vessel's forecastle, rendering it unseaworthy.' Article content At a later press briefing, Tarriella said that crew members aboard the smaller Chinese vessel had been visible in its front section just before the collision. Article content 'We're not sure whether they were able to rescue those personnel who were in front prior to the collision. But we are hoping that these personnel are in good condition,' he told reporters. Article content Tarriela said the Chinese crew 'never responded' to the Philippine ship's offer of assistance. Article content Gan Yu, a Chinese coast guard spokesperson, confirmed that a confrontation had taken place without mentioning the collision. Article content 'The China Coast Guard took necessary measures in accordance with the law, including monitoring, pressing from the outside, blocking and controlling the Philippine vessels to drive them away,' he said in a statement. Article content Article content Monday's incident is the latest in a series of confrontations between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea, which Beijing claims almost entirely despite an international ruling that the assertion has no legal basis. Article content Article content More than 60 percent of global maritime trade passes through the disputed waterway. Article content Speaking at a morning news conference, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos said the country's patrol vessels would 'continue to be present' in the area to defend, as well as exercise Manila's sovereign rights over, what it considers to be part of its territory. Article content The Scarborough Shoal — a triangular chain of reefs and rocks — has been a flashpoint between the countries since China seized it from the Philippines in 2012. Article content Earlier in the confrontation, the BRP Suluan was 'targeted with a water cannon' by the Chinese but 'successfully' evaded it, Tarriela's statement said. Article content
