Victoria Baertsoen, Shae-Lynn Bachus and Matthew Cousins tragically died in the fatal crash.
(Source: iheartradio.ca)
Three young people from Wallaceburg, Ontario, Victoria Baertsoen, 24, Matthew Cousins, 24, and Shae-Lynn Bachus, 23, who died in an automobile accident over the weekend, are mourned by the Chatham-Kent community. Keep reading to know more about the Wallaceburg accident in detail.
Wallaceburg accident:
According to Chatham-Kent police, a car and a semi-tanker truck collided. Three people died in the collision between the car and the semi-tanker truck, one person suffered a life-threatening injury, and one person suffered non-life-threatening injuries.
Earlier, according to police, the automobile was going along Wallace Street when, just before 10 p.m. on Sunday, it turned onto McNaughton Avenue, it struck a northbound tractor trailer.
The fatalities were identified and their families were given condolences by Chatham-Kent police on Tuesday afternoon.
Victims were Wallaceburg residents Shae-Lynn Bachus, 23, Matthew Cousins, 24, and Victoria Baertsoen, 24.
25-year-old Mackenzie Vandroffelaar, of Dover Township, was transported to a hospital in London in critical condition and is currently in stable but serious condition.
Wallaceburg resident Selena Bushey, 22, who suffered non-life-threatening injuries, has begun to recuperate. Non-life threatening injuries were also sustained by the tractor trailer’s driver, who was taken by ambulance to the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance.
Investigation:
The investigation has been turned over to the Traffic Management Unit of the Chatham-Kent Police.
Constable Josh Flikweert of the Chatham-Kent police can be reached at [email protected] or 519-359-9204 if you have any information on the incident at hand.
“We’ll be there for each other”
The close-knit community was “rocked” by the incident, according to Wallaceburg councilman Aaron Hall of Chatham-Kent.
Hall said,
“It was sudden and a devastating tragedy, and my heart really aches for the family and friends we lost.
We lost three young people.”
Hall, who had met the young adults involved in the collision and their families in the neighborhood, characterized them as being full of life, optimism, and love.
He said,
“We support each other and with this incident we’ll be there for each other and we’ll be there for each other with compassion and understanding and love, (We) always stick together, in good times and bad.
“Obviously this is a difficult time for our community, but we’re going to stand together, we’re going to be there for each other … we’ll … be there for the families.”
At Wallaceburg’s municipal building, flags will be lowered to mark the passing of three young people who died in a terrible accident this long weekend.
In memory of the three Wallaceburg fatalities, all of whom were in their 20s, flags will be flying at half-staff at the Wallaceburg Municipal Centre beginning on Tuesday and continuing through the weekend.
The council meeting on Monday night will also observe a moment of silence to honor the lives of the young victims. Municipal officials stated that our town lost a significant member on Sunday.
Chatham-Kent Mayor Darrin Canniff said,
“This is heart-breaking news. As a community we sit in shock and grief thinking of the families, friends and CK staff who are suffering an unthinkable loss.
Our thoughts also extend to the driver of the tanker truck as well as our first responders who attended at the scene and provided exemplary service.”
In honor of the victims, a number of companies in Chatham-Kent have also altered their social media profile images to a simple black square.
The municipality said that at this moment, funeral details are unknown.
GoFundMe Page:
To help the families cope with the trauma and financial strain they are currently experiencing, a GoFundMe website has also been created.
It read,
“As many of you are aware our town has experienced a great tragedy as the result of a motor vehicle collision taking place on Sunday May 21st. Our hearts are with the friends and families of Victoria Baertsoen, Shae-Lynn Bachus, Matt Cousins, Mackenzie VanDroffelaar, and Selena Bushey. To help reduce some of the stress and financial burden these families are currently facing we’re asking our community to come together to raise funds that will be equally divided between all 5 families. Any donation is welcomed and appreciated- Wallaceburg strong ♡
This fundraiser is organized by Haley Gagnier, Jordan Aarssen, and Michelle Persyn (close friends of the Baertsoen family).All proceeds from this fundraiser will be divided evenly amongst the families involved via cheque, along with a detailed receipt outlining the funds obtained.”
All five families will receive an equal share of the monies earned, according to organizer Michelle Persyn.
Community Service for Prayer and Mourning
First Baptist Church in Chatham-Kent’s Brian Horrobin and another pastor are planning a community service where people may gather to reflect on the tragedy and pray for the impacted families. The service strives to offer assistance, consolation, and comfort to individuals who are mourning the loss of a loved one. Soon, further information regarding the service will be released.
Horrobin said,
“Just for people to come and gather and process a little bit and pray for the families and the situation.”
The entire town in Chatham-Kent is in grief following the tragic vehicle accident. Wallaceburg people are uniting to support one another and send their sympathies to the bereaved families as they mourn the death of Victoria Baertsoen, Matthew Cousins, and Shae-Lynn Bachus. The tragic event serves as a reminder of the value of compassion and community cohesiveness in difficult circumstances.
KEEP READING,
Who is Tosin Ojutalayo? UK based Nigerian man & Andrew Odong have tied the knot, meet the gay couple
Missing: What happened to Killian Atkins? Know more about the 17 year-old cork teenager
Follow us on Twitter for more updates.
Rohini (Editor) is a content writer with 3 years of experience in content writing. She joined Medico Topics on the Breaking News trainee scheme in 2022 and now works on MedicoTopics.com. She possesses a keen interest in political and entertainment matters, including the latest and most widely circulating celebrity rumors, and comprehensive resources on the wealth of renowned actors, athletes, players, and politicians around the globe.
Coverage: Obituary, Crime, Missing, Entertainment