Paramedics say a crash which sent two people to hospital in west Ottawa Sunday night may have been caused when the driver had some kind of medical attack.

Emergency crews said they responded to the single-vehicle crash at the intersection of Kakulu Road and Castlefrank Road around 5:11 p.m.

A Honda Accord had veered off the road, slammed through a chain link fence and hit a tree, trapping a 62-year-old man and woman when it came to rest on its roof in an elementary school yard.

Witnesses said many people in the area rushed to the scene to see if they could help, including a teenaged boy who tried to flag down passing cars for help after he saw it crash.

“We have some witnesses here that indicate speed was involved,” said Sgt. Anthony Skinner.

Ottawa Fire Services spokesperson Marc Messier said crews used heavy hydraulic rescue tools to get the male driver out, then took the side of the vehicle off to get the woman.

Paramedics said they took both to hospital in serious condition, the man with shoulder and neck pain along with stroke-like symptoms and the woman with possible severe spinal injuries.

With a report from CTV Ottawa’s Stefan Keyes