York Regional Police
October 9, 1984
Constable William J. Grant had been a member of York Regional Police for four years and was just 26 years old when he was killed in the line of duty October 9, 1984.
Just after midnight, Constable Grant spotted an automobile ahead of him being driven erratically. He attempted to stop the vehicle, but the driver sped away, leading Constable Grant into a high-speed pursuit.
The vehicle continued northbound on Kennedy Road and outdistanced Constable Grant’s cruiser. The driver then turned the vehicle around, shut off the headlights, and drove straight at the officer. The ensuing collision caused Constable Grant to suffer massive internal injuries. When radio could not contact him, officers were dispatched to search for him until they discovered the wreck. Constable Grant was dead at the scene, while the 19-year-old driver of the vehicle was found dead in a nearby field after shooting himself with the officer’s revolver.
Officers later discovered that the driver, a Thornhill teen, had stolen his parents’ vehicle after a fight with his girlfriend.
Constable Grant, an exemplary officer and outstanding family man, leaves behind his wife Susan and then 19-month-old daughter, Lara. His second child, William James Grant, was born two weeks after his death.