401 Suicide – A section of Highway 401 in Ajax was temporarily closed on Sunday following a tragic and unsettling event.
Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) confirmed that they were investigating a “sudden death” after a man reportedly jumped from the Harwood Bridge and fell onto an oncoming vehicle traveling westbound on the highway.
Witnesses described the grim scene, with one confirming they saw the body of the man, later covered with a yellow sheet, lying on the highway.
The incident prompted OPP officers to shut down the westbound lanes of Hwy. 401 between Salem and Westney roads while they conducted their investigation. The highway’s eastbound lanes remained unaffected, and the closure lasted until approximately 4:30 p.m.
OPP have not released any further details about the man’s identity or the circumstances surrounding the tragic fall. The police investigation remains ongoing, with authorities calling for anyone who may have seen the incident or has relevant dashcam footage to come forward. As the investigation continues, the community of Ajax is left grappling with the heartbreaking event.
The OPP has urged anyone with information or footage to contact the Whitby OPP office at 905-668-3388 or Crime Stoppers anonymously. The highway reopening brings some relief to commuters who were affected by the closure, but the loss of life on this busy stretch of road remains a somber reminder of the fragility of life.