Serious collision claims two lives, Windsor council approves new development, and a carwash vandalized: Top Windsor stories this week

One of two east Windsor development proposals before city council were approved, the accused in a terrorism trial in Windsor returned to the stand, and the owners of a small business in Chatham are fed up with how often vandals have targeted their car wash.

Here’s a look at the top stories on ctvnewswindsor.ca this week

 

Double-fatal collision sparks calls for empathy from Catholic Central students

The SIU has invoked its mandate following a serious collision that closed a section of Riverside Drive East in Windsor, Ont. on Sunday, Oct. 15, 2023. (Source: OnLocation/X)

A serious collision that claimed the lives of two people and split a vehicle in half has students at Catholic Central High School calling for people to empathize with the families affected by the tragedy.

Police observed a Dodge Charger running a red light at a downtown Windsor intersection Sunday around 1:20 a.m.

After the vehicle refused to stop when officers attempted to pull it over, the Charger made its way toward the intersection of Riverside Drive and Glengarry Avenue where it collided into two other vehicles, according to Ontario's Special Investigations Unit (SIU).

The Charger had four people inside. Two people, ages 17 and 19, were killed as a result of the crash. Two other people inside the Charger remain in hospital.

 

Windsor council approves 92-unit development, defers 12-storey high-rise proposal

A 92-unit development proposal at the corner of Alexis and Reginald Streets in East Windsor was approved by Windsor City Council Monday night. (Source: City of Windsor)

One of two east Windsor development proposals before city council were approved after lengthy discussion Monday evening, with neighbouring residents pushing back against the proposals in each case.

“We haven't had this order of magnitude of applications coming forward in the City of Windsor for a long, long time,” said Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens after Monday’s meeting. “Now we're seeing them with regularity because you see 4,000 people who've moved here over the course of six months. They need somewhere to live.”

“We have to find a balance,” said Dilkens, who said it’s about finding the right development for the right space when reviewing and approving re-zoning applications for repurposed land.

Council debated for two hours and heard from numerous residents, most of whom were opposed to a plan to build two six-storey condo developments on a vacant parcel of land at the corner of Reginald and Alexis Streets next to the former Gordon McGregor School.

 

Windsor not next in line to implement 'fourplex as of right' bylaw

The housing crisis has seen municipalities across Ontario respond by passing new blanket zoning exemptions to give the green light to fourplex construction on any residential property, as governments look to push developers to add more supply to meet demand.

Windsor isn’t ready to go there — just yet.

The latest cities to make the move are Kitchener and Guelph, passing “as of right” bylaws allowing the construction of the four-unit buildings on residentially zoned land, often dominated by single-family homes.

It is something Windsor’s mayor is keenly aware may be before council in the near future.

 

Veltman continues to dismiss his confessions to police

Justice Justice Renee Pomerance, left to right, Nathaniel Veltman, defence lawyers Peter Ketcheson and Christopher Hicks attend court during Veltman's trial in Windsor, Ont., as shown in this Thursday, Oct. 12, 2023 courtroom sketch. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Alexandra Newbould

The accused in a terrorism trial in Windsor returned to the stand for a sixth day Thursday.

Nathaniel Veltman, 22, has already admitted to the jury he drove his pickup truck into the Afzaal family in June 2021 in London, Ont.

He has also pleaded not guilty to all charges including terrorism-motivated first-degree murder and terrorism-motivated attempted murder.

In his two statements to police, less than 24 hours after the attack, Veltman admitted not only to his actions but laid out the reasons for them, including wanting to avenge alleged minority on white crimes he believed were going unreported in the mainstream media.

 

Chatham carwash targeted by vandals, owner says

Car, Dog and Boat Wash in Chatham, Ont. on Thursday, Oct. ,19, 2023. (Chris Campbell/CTV News Windsor)

The owners of a small business in Chatham are fed up with how often vandals have targeted their car wash location since taking ownership last summer.

They’re now taking to social media, sharing security camera footage in an effort to deter any future criminal activity from happening.

“We've met a lot of good people, but at night there's a few people that come out that aren't so nice,” said Robert Walker, owner of the Car, Dog and Boat Wash.

Walker said since taking over of the Park Avenue East venture, there’s been more than a dozen instances of littering and petty vandalism captured on their CCTV cameras late at night.