Toronto police have arrested a taxi driver after his cab went of control on Monday afternoon, striking several vehicles in a mall parking lot before careening into a pedestrian and killing the man.
The deadly chain of events began around 2:40 p.m., when a Diamond Taxicab vehicle turned into the parking lot of Dufferin Mall, near Dufferin and Bloor Streets, and headed toward the main entrance.
The cab then suddenly veered into a parked minivan, said Constable Hugh Smith of Toronto Police Traffic Services. The driver put the cab into reverse, heading 20 metres before the taxi struck another parked car. That car then collided into two other parked vehicles.
The cab kept moving, however, heading south and onto a sidewalk bordering Walmart, where a 67-year-old Toronto man was standing, Constable Smith said.
After striking the pedestrian, the taxi continued another 20 metres, finally coming to a stop atop a planter box.
The pedestrian was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Constable Smith said it wasn't immediately clear what caused the cab to lose control. Police are investigating whether drugs, alcohol or a medical condition played a role in the crash.
Police have detained the unidentified taxi cab driver, but he has not been charged. His employer wasn't available to comment.
Renata D’Aliesio