15 Year Old Pedestrian Killed On Saturday North of Sydenham

Jemma Dooreleyers | Jan 09, 2025

Just after 5:30 PM on Saturday January 4, 2025, Kale Clark, a 15-year-old boy from Kingston ON, was struck by a delivery van and killed while walking with a friend on Rosedale Road, a country road north of Sydenham Village.

The driver of the vehicle, which was identified by the OPP as a “commercial express van”, is a 57-year-old man from Harrowsmith. An alcohol breathalyzer test determined that his blood alcohol level was in the warning range. He received a three-day license suspension. The van was towed from the scene for further examination, and the road was closed for several hours as the investigation continued with a Technical Collision Investigator, Reconstructionist from the OPP as well as the Chief Coroners office of Ontario.

Since the accident on Saturday, Kale Clark’s parents, Christina Avery and Rad Crawford, the owners of

Knifey  + Spoony (a prominent vegan food catering business and market staple at Memorial Centre Market) and outspoken community activists for the LGBTQ+ community have been overwhelmed with gratitude for the community's outpouring of support. According to Avery, this is a testament to the type of person Kale was.

Clark, as described by his mother to Frontenac News, was a vibrant personality. He was a talented musician and played five instruments that he taught himself, he held five lead roles in productions at the Blue Canoe Theatre. He was also an excellent cook. 

“Over the past few days, I have learned that he touched the lives of many in instances I wasn’t even aware of,” said Avery.

“He was a brave and passionate advocate,” she said. “He took it upon himself to always use his voice and stand for the change he wanted to see.”

Kale was exposed to protests and community care since his birth, however, in his teenagehood, he took it upon himself to be an outspoken advocate for the people of Palestine, missing school and time with friends to attend protests and sit-ins to do whatever he could to show his frustration and sadness at the plight of the Palestinian people.

“He was a brave and passionate advocate,” said Avery. “He took it upon himself to always use his voice and stand for the change he wanted to see.”

Clark loved people and people loved him.

“Since it happened, we haven’t been alone,” said Clark. “There are always people around to help out, and food is being dropped off at our doorstep by businesses and people in the community. We are all mourning together and it helps to know that we don’t have to go through this alone.”

The accident occurred a year and one day since another accident of the same nature happened on the same road, claiming the life of Rietta Wilson.

Frontenac OPP is asking for public assistance in providing any witness information, dash camera footage, or doorbell camera views of the collision.

If you can help by providing any information, call Frontenac OPP at 1-888-310-1122. Remain anonymous by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).