Canada: CTV News Journalist Stephanie Villella Hit By A Vehicle And Critically Injured When Reporting – CFWIJ Sends Thoughts To Her And Her Family
Location: Canada, Ontario
Date: March 1, 2023
Stephanie Villella was gathering images of a two-vehicle crash when she was struck and seriously injured by a vehicle. The CTV News Kitchener reporter was transported to a trauma center with injuries police call potentially life-threatening. The Coalition For Women In Journalism is saddened to hear of this incident and sends its thoughts to Stephanie and her family at this difficult time.
On March 1, journalist for broadcaster CTV News Stephanie Villella was covering a crash outside Guelph, Ontario when she was hit by a vehicle. Villella had been gathering images of a separate two-vehicle crash that happened earlier in the day. She was at the intersection of Brock Road South and Maltby Road which had been closed and barricaded by police when she was hit by a sedan. The driver of the sedan that struck Villella remained at the scene after the incident. People who witnessed the crash told CTV News the driver appeared elderly and Villella was within the road closure area when the car hit her.
Villella was transported to a trauma center with injuries police call serious and potentially life-threatening. Police say it’s too soon to comment on whether charges will be laid in the collision. “We’re looking into witness accounts, we’re looking into physical evidence to really identify what had happened,” Ontario Provincial Police constable Joshua Cunningham said.
Stephanie Villella is a videographer at CTV Kitchener who covers crime and human interest stories. Before coming to Kitchener, Villella worked as a video journalist for CTV Prince Albert and CTV Saskatoon. She was born and raised in Vaughan, Ontario.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism hopes that Stephanie makes a full recovery. Our thoughts are with her and her family.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism is a global organization of support for women journalists. The CFWIJ pioneered mentorship for mid-career women journalists across several countries around the world and is the first organization to focus on the status of free press for women journalists. We thoroughly document cases of any form of abuse against women in any part of the globe. Our system of individuals and organizations brings together the experience and mentorship necessary to help female career journalists navigate the industry. Our goal is to help develop a strong mechanism where women journalists can work safely and thrive.
If you have been harassed or abused in any way, and please report the incident by using the following form.