Waterloo Driver, 22, Charged With Impaired Driving After Columbia Street Crash

A 22-year-old Waterloo man has been charged with impaired driving and three other offences after a collision between a red Toyota and a commercial truck at Columbia Street West and Lester Street in Waterloo on the afternoon of October 27, 2026, Waterloo Regional Police said.

Police said officers were called to the area at about 3:20 p.m. after reports of a crash involving a red Toyota and a commercial truck.

Workers held driver until police arrived

According to police, after the collision the driver of the Toyota tried to leave the scene by getting into the driver's seat of a nearby construction truck. Workers in the area stepped in and held the man until officers arrived, police said.

Both vehicles were heavily damaged. Police said no major physical injuries were reported.

Charges

The Toyota driver was arrested and charged with:

• Operation while impaired – alcohol and drugs
• Dangerous operation
• Motor vehicle theft
• Failure to stop after an accident

The charges have not been proven in court.

Police looking for witnesses and video

Police are asking anyone who saw how the red Toyota was being driven before the crash, anyone who saw the collision itself, and anyone with dashcam or cellphone video of the incident to contact them at 519-570-9777, extension 7030.

The police file number is WA26158616.

Crime in the region

The Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo area had a Crime Severity Index of 66.82 in 2025, down 8.63% from the previous year, and a Violent Crime Severity Index of 85.09, according to Statistics Canada.