B.C. man killed in Barrie, Ont. crash remembered by loved ones

A B.C. man who was among the six people killed in an Ontario crash late last month is being remembered by his loved ones.

Jason Ono-O’Connor, along with five others who were in their early 20s, was killed on Aug. 27 in the single-vehicle crash south of Barrie.

Ono-O’Connor’s father, Herbert, shared an emotional social media post that said his son was a graduate of Collingwood School in West Vancouver. He says Jason was about to start his fourth year to earn a degree in Business Administration (Automotive Management).

Jason was an avid gamer and sports enthusiast, his father detailed.

“He grew up playing ice hockey with North Vancouver Minor Hockey Association and later with Hollyburn Country Club Minor Hockey Association, often as team captain or associate captain,” the social media post reads, in part.

“However, he described playing ‘beer league’ hockey with his cousins, Kenji and Keanu, as a highlight.”

B.C. man Jason Ono-O’Connor is being remembered by his loved ones after he was killed in a single-vehicle crash in Ontario in August. (Submitted by Herbert Ono)

In addition to hockey, Herbert says his son also enjoyed a number of other sports, having spent time as a certified lifeguard and swimming instructor in West Vancouver.

“Jason was fair-minded and kind, and possessed a wicked sense of humour. He treasured time spent with family and friends. His close friends ranged from one whose parents were introduced to us through prenatal class, to those he met during his studies at Georgian College. We thank them deeply for being part of our son’s short but rich life experience,” Herbert wrote.

“We are very proud of the remarkable young man our son had become, and we will miss him dearly.”

On Sunday, nearly a week after the deadly crash, hundreds of people gathered at the site of the tragedy to pay their respects to the victims. Mourners lit candles and lanterns in their honour.

Curtis King, River Wells, Luke West, Jersey Mitchell, and Haley Marin were also killed in the crash.

The six victims were found early in the morning on Sunday, Aug. 28, after their vehicle came to rest in a large concrete pit in a rural construction site on the southwest edge of the city.

Police stumbled on the unreported crash site hours after the vehicle’s occupants were reported as missing. Few details about the incident or the circumstances leading up to it have been released.

-With files from The Canadian Press and Angela Bower