Charges laid in Highway 400 crash that killed 4

A truck driver facesmultiple charges in connection with a fiery12-vehicle Highway 400 crash that killed four people in June, including a little girl and two women from the same family.

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Ontario Provincial Police said Thursday thatSarbjit Singh Matharu, 35, of Winnipeg, has beencharged with four counts of criminal negligence causing death and one count of criminal negligence causing bodily harm.

The June 24crash on southbound Highway 400 near Finch Avenuekilled threemembers of the Vokshi family who wereon their way home after a day atCanada's Wonderland.

Five-year-old Isabela Kuci, her mother 35-year-oldValbonaVokshi,and her grandmother, 55-year-oldXhemileVokshi,were pronounced dead at the scene.

Blerta Vokshi, aunt, sister and daughter to the victims, was in another vehicle involved in the crashwith two-year-old AronSufa. Both of them survived.

A fourth woman, 27-year-old Maria Lipska,with no relation to the other victims, was also killed in the crash.

More charges possible

Police on Thursday would not provide further details about how the collision transpired, but clarified that 11 vehicles were involved, including three commercial transport trucks.

The crash fuelled a fire that destroyed one of the truck's trailers and two other vehicles.

OPP Sgt. Kerry Schmidt told CBC News the charges were months in the making due to the complexity of the investigation.

"There's been a lot of work, there was so many vehicles involved, so many witnesses to follow up on," he said.

He added that the investigation into the crash isn't complete, and more charges are possible.

Matharuflew in from Winnipeg to make his first court appearance on Thursday at Old City Hall. His bail was set at $15,000. He is also not allowed to contact the victims' families, he cannot travel outside Ontario or Manitoba and he is not allowed to drive.

'Nothing short of a nightmare'

Valbona Vokshi's sister,Blerta, who was injured in the pile-up while riding in a different car, said she didn't have words to express how she felt about the charges.

"This is a nightmare, this whole situation," she told CBC News.

Sandra Zisckind, a personal injury lawyer representing the Vokshi family, said Thursday the family is pleased by the severity of the charges.

"It's a whole bunch of emotions," Zisckind told CBC News when asked how the family is feeling.

"They are trying to cope the best way they know how," she said."The situation is nothing short of a nightmare."

Investigators have not revealed to her or the family how they think the accident occurred, Zisckind said, and she knows little about the driver or the company that employed him.

"At the end of the day, the most important thing is that justice is done not only for this family, but for the community at large," she said.