JARVIS—A fatal two-vehicle collision in Haldimand has left a Simcoe workplace and the wider community mourning.
According to the Haldimand County Ontario Provincial Police, officers and emergency services responded on Thursday, January 22, 2026 to reports of a collision involving two passenger vehicles on Highway 6 near Concession 9 Walpole outside Jarvis around 5 p.m.
Police said the driver of one of the vehicles, a 28-year-old male from Simcoe, was pronounced deceased at the scene. Other parties involved were taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Highway 6 was closed for several hours while OPP Technical Collision Investigators assisted with the investigation. Police said the investigation remains ongoing and are asking anyone who may have witnessed the collision or who has dashcam footage from the area around the time of the incident to contact the OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or helpsolvecrime.com.
The deceased was later identified as Deepak Marasini, a Simcoe resident and employee at Cedarwood Village, a long-term care home where he worked as a personal support worker.
In the days following the collision, Cedarwood Village staff organized a fundraiser to support Marasini’s family. Paula Thomson, Director of Care at Cedarwood Village, said the fundraiser was set up quickly to help with immediate needs.
“We set it up on the weekend,” Thomson said. “For us to raise money for him to either return him back to Nepal or, at the very least, help support the family.”
Thomson said Marasini had worked at Cedarwood Village for just over a year. She described him as a dedicated caregiver and colleague.
For Thomson and her colleagues, the loss has been deeply felt.
“We are struggling,” she said. “He is an amazing, amazing young man,” adding that he was excellent at his job “and an even better human being.”
“His loss is deeply felt across the organization,” she said. “Our thoughts are with his family, friends, and all those who had the privilege of working alongside him.”
Donations are being accepted directly through Cedarwood Village rather than an online fundraising platform. Contributions can be made by e-transfer or by cash drop-off at the Director of Care office at Cedarwood Village, located at 500 Queensway West in Simcoe.
As of the morning of Monday, January 26, Thomson said the fundraiser had already raised $3,495 so far. Donations are being accepted until February 28.
Members of the Nepali community have also been sharing information about the fundraiser online. According to reporting by The Nepali North, Marasini was originally from Arghakhanchi, Nepal, and had been living in Canada for the past three years. He completed his studies at Fanshawe College in Simcoe and was working on a work permit at the time of his death. Another Nepali student who was in the same vehicle was reported to be in stable condition.
Community organizations have indicated coordination is underway with the Nepali Embassy and Marasini’s family to support next steps. The vehicle involved in the collision remains in police custody as the investigation continues.
Donations can be made by e-transfer to inmemoryofdeepak@execulink.com, with donors asked to indicate “for Deepak” in the message line.
