Funerals set for friends killed in crash that devastated town of Wallaceburg

Funerals will be held Friday and Saturday for three young adults killed in a holiday weekend crash that has devastated their Southwestern Ontario hometown.

Victoria Baertsoen and Matt Cousins, 24, and Shae-Lynn Bachus, 23, died late Sunday after their vehicle collided with a tanker truck in Wallaceburg, a community of 10,000 northwest of Chatham.

A teacher and child-care worker, Baertsoen lived a short but “noble life” caring for children and older people in the community with empathy, kindness and love, her obituary states. “She was known to have a smile that could light up every room, a contagious laugh and the biggest heart you could ever imagine.”

Bachus – or “Sugar Shae,” as loved ones called her – was a “shining star” who will be remembered by her parents, sister, partner and their two pets, her obituary reads.

Cousins ​​was an avid sports enthusiast remembered for making others laugh and smile.

“He was an easy going, care-free guy that would have done anything for his friends and family,” his obituary states.

The crash happened about 10 p.m. Sunday when a car carrying five people was traveling along Wallace Street, entered onto McNaughton Avenue and collided with a northbound tanker truck, Chatham-Kent police said. A stop sign for the east-west traffic on Wallace Street controls the intersection.

The 23-year-old driver and two occupants in the car died at the scene. Two other passengers, Mackenzie Vandroffelaar, 25, and Selena Bushey, 22, are in hospital recovering from injuries suffered in the crash, police said.

The tanker’s driver suffered minor injuries, police said.

A police spokesperson said the investigation was ongoing as of Thursday.

“We have no updates at this time but would encourage anyone with information to come forward,” Chatham-Kent Police Sgt. Lynette Hodder said by email.

The deaths of the three young friends have sent shockwaves throughout the small Southwestern Ontario town, triggering an outpouring of tributes online.

Many residents have changed their social media profiles to an image with the phrase, “Wallaceburg, you are in our hearts.” An online fundraiser launched to support the crash victims’ families had raised $65,000 by mid-afternoon Thursday.

The toll on the town was put into perspective by resident Jamie Knight, who had been Cousins’ lacrosse coach. “Everybody in Wallaceburg will know somebody in that vehicle.”

Visitation services and funerals are scheduled for Thursday through Saturday at the Haycock-Cavanagh Funeral Home and Riverview Cemetery in Wallaceburg.

Anyone with information about the crash is asked to contact Chatham-Kent Police Const. Josh Flikweert at [email protected] or 519-355-1092

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