Man charged following collision that left 9-year-old girl dead, three injured on Calgary's Macleod Trail

A man has been charged in connection with a collision on Calgary's Macleod Trail that left a 9-year-old girl dead and three others injured.

Duane Arlen John Nepoose, 30, is facing one count of robbery, one count of theft of a motor vehicle, one count of flight from a police officer, one count of dangerous driving, one count of dangerous driving causing death, one count of operating a vehicle without a licence, one count of operating a vehicle without registration, one count of operating a vehicle without insurance, and three counts of dangerous driving causing bodily harm.

According to the Calgary Police Service, Nepoose was in a 2015 Dodge Caravan, "driving erratically, weaving in and out of traffic" as he made his way north on Macleod Trail SE. As he approached the intersection of Macleod Trail and Southland Drive SE, he failed to stop at a red light and "proceeded through the intersection at a high rate of speed."

A woman in a 2014 Toyota 4Runner, and a mother with her two children in a 2009 Pontiac Vibe were both travelling through the intersection when their vehicles were struck. All four were rushed to hospital.

One of the children, 9-year-old Victoria Reitmeier-Desjardins, succumbed to her injuries. Her mother, Amanda, and the other woman are in "stable" condition, while her sister, Madison, is in "critical" condition at the Alberta Children’s Hospital.

Speed and drug impairment "are being investigated as potential contributing factors in this collision."

"We share the deep sadness felt by the family and loved ones who have had their lives forever changed by someone’s disregard for public safety," CPS Traffic Section Acting Insp. Andy Woodward said. "We continue to work with numerous areas and resources across the Service to fully investigate the circumstances of this collision. The Victim Assistance Support Team and other resources have been made available to those impacted by this incident."