Jim Wilkes
Dan Robson
Staff Reporters

A Milton man has been arrested after an apparent act of road rage left a man dead on Highway 401 early yesterday.

Wayne Winsor, 39, faces criminal charges in relation to the death of the unnamed man.

Police said the man swerved to avoid a car after its driver slammed on his brakes in front of him.

He died instantly when he was ejected from his SUV and crushed as it rolled several times, shortly after 5 a.m. on the highway's eastbound lanes, just past James Snow Parkway in Milton.

"There was clear evidence in this scenario that the road rage was ongoing and poured out onto the 401," said Staff Sgt. Scott Lawson of the Ontario Provincial Police.

He said a black Yukon SUV and a burgundy Pontiac Grand Prix were jockeying prior to entering the highway.

"The vehicles sped east until the car pulled in front of the SUV and slammed on its brakes," Lawson explained.

The SUV swerved to avoid the car, struck the centre concrete guardrail and careened down the highway, rolling over and over before it came to a stop 300 metres away.

It came to rest on three wheels, the fourth buckled underneath. Its windshield was smashed and the roof was scarred from sliding down the highway.

"It was a violent impact," Lawson said. "The results were tragic."

Passing motorists stopped to give aid to the driver, who lay on the road, but there was nothing anyone could do to save him.

The man, about 55, died at the scene. His name is being withheld at the family's request.

The accident caused chaos during the morning rush hour as police closed all eastbound lanes of Highway 401 from James Snow Parkway to Trafalgar Rd.

The highway was reopened mid-morning.

Winsor is charged with criminal negligence causing death, dangerous driving causing death, and failing to remain at the scene of an accident causing death.

He is being held in custody until a bail hearing this morning in Milton.

He turned himself into police yesterday.

Lawson said he hoped the fatal crash would be a civics lesson to all drivers.

"There are varying degrees of road rage and this has obviously gone to the utmost degree," he said.

"Being angry with someone is clearly not worth losing your life over."