Rowan McLeod dies in fatal Walkerton car crash

Rowan McLeod dies in fatal Walkerton car crash

Fatal Walkerton car crash death of Rowan McLeod – Obituary

Rowan McLeod, a student at Walkerton District Community School, was killed in a heartbreaking vehicle collision on May 23, 2025, just north of London, Ontario. She was one of four students riding in an SUV with their teacher, Matt Eckert, when the vehicle collided with a tractor trailer at the intersection of Cobble Hills Road and Thorndale Road.

The group had been on their way home to Walkerton after attending a school softball tournament in Dorchester. Tragically, all five people in the SUV died as a result of the crash.

Rowan is remembered as a thoughtful and spirited young person whose loss has deeply shaken her school and community. Her classmates—Olivia Rourke, Kaydance Ford, and Danica Baker—also perished in the crash, as did their teacher and coach, Mr. Eckert.

To honour their lives, a candlelight vigil will be held at Walkerton District Community School at sunset on Sunday. Residents have been invited to display sneakers on their doorsteps in remembrance of Rowan and the other lives lost in the tragic accident.