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family of Three killed in wrong-way Highway 401 crash Durham Police have filed a lawsuit against the officers involved, the Durham Regional Police Services Board and the estate of the driver who struck them.
Three-month-old Aditya and the boy’s grandparents, Manivannan Srinivaspillai, 60, and Mahalakshmi Ananthakrishnan, 55, lost their lives in the April 2024 collision when a cargo van driven by 21-year-old Gagandeep Singh entered the eastbound lane of westbound Highway 401. Gokulnath Manivannan was driving the car with his son and family members at the time of the collision.
Singh, who was killed in the crash, was fleeing from responding officers after a reported robbery at an LCBO in Clarington.
The statement of claim, filed this week by Manivannan and Ashvita Jawahar and obtained by CityNews, names Singh’s estate, the Durham Regional Police Services Board and two officers – Sgt. Richard Flynn and Const. Brandon Hamilton – as the defendant. The claim alleges negligence in the pursuit which led to the fatal collision.
Brad Moscato and Adam Wagman, the attorneys representing the family, released a statement confirming the lawsuit.
“This is an unimaginable loss for our customers, and their primary focus is on grieving and supporting each other during this devastating time,” the statement said. “We are working to ensure that a thorough investigation is conducted so that the family can get the answers they deserve as to how this terrible incident occurred. Out of respect for the ongoing investigation and the family’s privacy, we will not be making further public comment at this time.”
background on accident
The collision occurred on April 29, 2024, closing a portion of Highway 401 in Whitby for hours. Audio later obtained from police scanner It was learned that Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) officers had expressed concerns about the pursuit, warning that “someone was going to get hurt” as Singh drove in the wrong direction on the highway.
Manpreet Gill, who was traveling in the cargo van with Singh at the time of the collision, was seriously injured but survived. He later faced 13 charges related to the robbery investigation, although none were linked to the fatal crash.
In 2024, Gill pleaded guilty to two counts of theft under $5,000, violation of a release order and failing to comply with probation. He received a five-month prison sentence – which was less time than he had already spent in custody – and was placed on probation for two years.
The Special Investigations Unit (SIU) launched an investigation into the conduct of the Durham officers. Months later, it was reported that Sgt. Flynn and Const. hamilton Was refused to be interviewed by SIUAs permitted under Ontario law.
In a statement shared by the SIU soon after the accident, Manivannan said that the pain of losing his 60-year-old father, 55-year-old mother and three-month-old son was much more severe than the physical injuries he sustained in the accident.
The lawsuit seeks damages and accountability, though specific financial claims have not been disclosed. The case will proceed through the Ontario courts.