Vehicle Collides With ION LRT in Uptown Waterloo

Waterloo Regional Police said a vehicle collided with an ION light rail train in uptown Waterloo on May 22, drawing emergency crews to one of the system’s busiest downtown intersections. Police said officers were called at about 9 p.m. to King Street South and Willis Way in Waterloo. No injuries were reported. A 26-year-old male driver was charged after the crash, police said. The collision briefly disrupted travel through the uptown core, where the ION line runs in mixed city traffic and crosses multiple turning movements. Police did not identify the driver. Grand River Transit’s ION service operates through the area linking Waterloo and Kitchener. ### Where did the collision happen? King Street South and Willis Way was the location identified by Waterloo Regional Police in their account of the crash. The intersection sits in uptown Waterloo, a dense commercial district where the ION tracks run along the street and trains pass through signalized crossings. CityNews Kitchener reported the collision involved a vehicle and an ION LRT train at that intersection. CTV News Kitchener also reported that one person was charged after a collision involving a vehicle and an LRT train in Waterloo. ### What did police say happened? Waterloo Regional Police said officers received reports around 9 p.m. on May 22 of a collision between a vehicle and an ION LRT vehicle. Police said the driver was later charged with “turn not in safety,” an Ontario traffic offense used when a motorist turns without ensuring it can be done safely. No injuries were reported, according to police. Authorities did not say in the reports reviewed whether passengers were on board the train, how long service was interrupted, or the extent of damage to the vehicle or train. ### Who was charged, and with what? A 26-year-old male driver was charged, Waterloo Regional Police said. Police did not release the driver’s name in the public accounts reviewed. The charge was “turn not in safety,” according to CityNews Kitchener’s report citing police. That charge points to the turning movement of the vehicle as the focus of the initial enforcement action, though police did not release a fuller reconstruction of the crash. ### Was transit service affected in uptown Waterloo? Grand River Transit’s public alerts page is the agency’s main channel for detours and service notices, though archived details tied specifically to the May 22 collision were not immediately available in the material reviewed. The crash occurred on a street-running section of the ION route where incidents can affect train movement through the uptown corridor. The ION system is operated by Grand River Transit as part of the Region of Waterloo’s transit network. The line serves stations through Waterloo and Kitchener, including the uptown section where road traffic, pedestrians and trains share closely managed space. ### What happens next for the investigation? Waterloo Regional Police said anyone with additional information can call 519-570-9777, extension 6399. Police said anonymous tips can also be submitted to Crime Stoppers. The next public updates, if any, are likely to come from Waterloo Regional Police or Grand River Transit service notices. As of May 24, police had publicly reported the charge, the location and the time of the collision, and had not reported any injuries.