SUDBURY -- Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) has released the names of both victims in the fatal crash on Highway 17 Friday morning.

Zachary Duval, 23, of Espanola was the driver of the vehicle traveling eastbound.

Robert McGirr, 62, of North Bay was the driver of the vehicle traveling westbound.

Police responded to the collision at 7:25 a.m., located on Highway 17 approx. 1 km west of Highway 6.

Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) officers from the Espanola Detachment, Manitoulin-Sudbury Emergency Medical Services (EMS), the Baldwin Township Fire Department, and the OPP Technical Collision Investigators (TCI) all attended the scene.

The investigation continues under the direction of the Office of the Chief Coroner and the Ontario Forensic Pathology Service (OCC-OFPS).

A post mortem examination is scheduled for Dec. 1 and Health Sciences North (HSN) in Sudbury.


Updated: Nov. 27, 2020  2:03 p.m.

Ontario Provincial Police said Friday afternoon two people were killed in the crash on Highway 17 between McKerrow and Massey.

"Investigation has determined that two vehicles were involved and two persons have been confirmed deceased as a result of the collision," police said. "OPP Technical Collision Investigators were called in to assist with the investigation."

Highway 17 has now been reopen, police added.

"The investigation is ongoing and further information will be provided once available."

Original story:

OPP Const. Peter Van Den Diepstraten told CTV News in an email it was a head-on collision involving two vehicles.

"We are unable at this point to release any details of deceased persons but to only say it is a fatality," Van Den Diepstaten said.

It is still unclear what time the collision happened.

Van Den Diepstaten confirmed to CTV News the collision happened at 7:25 a.m.approximately one kilometre west of the Highway 6 junction.

when the incident happened, OPP said in a tweet vehicles were blocking the road and emergency services were at the scene of a collision west of Espanola. 

"Highway 17 is expected to be closed for several hours, while the OPP investigates this collision and motorists are asked to please obey the road closure signs," said police in a news release.

The highway is closed in both directions between Highway 6 in McKerrow and Highway 553 in Massey, and police are stopping heavy westbound traffic on Hwy 17 at Nairn Centre and eastbound traffic in Blind River due to the closure.

"Detour for eastbound light traffic via Lee Valley Rd. No westbound heavy traffic past Nairn Centre and no eastbound heavy traffic past Blind River," Ontario 511 said.

Few details are known at this time. It is unclear how many vehicles were involved.

"The investigation is continuing and further information will be provided once available," police said.

Two other crashes are being reported by the Ministry of Transportation (MTO) on Highway 17 Friday morning in Nairn Centre and Blind River, but Van Den Diepstraten said there are no other collisions.

"These are just points where traffic is being stopped," Van Den Diepstraten said. "MTO is assisting the OPP with traffic."

No details on how many vehicles are involved in any of the crashes, if there are any injuries outside of a fatality or the cause of the collisions.

Earlier Friday morning, a pedestrian was killed in a crash involving a pickup truck on MR55. Read more about that tragic incident here.

More details to come on this developing story.