Alleged driver of stolen vehicle that crashed into TTC bus facing new charges in ‘violent home invasion spree’

Anestan Ganeshamoorthy, the suspect in a TTC bus crash that injured nine people, is facing new charges in connection with series of break-ins in Peel Region. (Peel Regional Police)

The alleged driver of a stolen vehicle that crashed into a TTC bus last year, injuring nine people – including two critically – is facing new charges in connection with a “violent home invasion spree” that police say took place less than a week earlier.

In a news release issued Tuesday, Peel Regional Police (PRP) said there was a series of break-ins in Mississauga and Brampton in the early morning hours of Nov. 13, 2024.

The first occurred at approximately 2:45 a.m. at a residence in the area of Dundas Street West and Mississauga Road in Mississauga. At that time, police said five masked suspects forced their way into the home, stole the victim’s keys, and fled in their vehicle.

An hour later, in the area of Countryside and Goreway drives in Brampton, the suspects allegedly broke into another home while the victims were sleeping and stole several items before fleeing.

At 6 a.m., the suspects travelled to the area of Major William Sharpe Drive and Flowertown Avenue in Brampton and forced entry into a third home and confronted the victims while armed with a handgun, police said. In that incident, the suspects demanded the victim’s car keys and fled in the vehicle, PRP said.

Following a “lengthy” investigation, police said they identified and charged Anestan Ganeshamoorthy as a suspect on April 17.

Police say Ganeshamoorthy was also the driver of a stolen BMW that crashed into a TTC bus, days after the alleged series of break-ins, on November 18. Nine people were injured in that collision.

It was just before 2 a.m. that morning when a black SUV and a white BMW, both travelling at a high rate of speed on Wilson Avenue, reached the intersection at Bathurst Street. Police said at the time that the black SUV cleared the intersection, but the BMW did not, as it struck the drivers’ side of a TTC bus. The bus spun upon impact and the BMW burst into flames.

Two of the BMW’s occupants were pulled from the vehicle and two others needed to be extricated by Toronto firefighters. Two occupants were rushed to a trauma centre in life-threatening condition.

The driver and four passengers on the TTC bus suffered only minor injuries, including a woman who was ejected from the vehicle.

Ganeshamoorthy was charged, along with three other suspects, following the crash.

Peel police told CTV News Toronto that Ganeshamoorthy was in police custody at a detention centre when he was charged in connection with the alleged crime spree.

He’s now facing charges of robbery, two counts of break-and-enter, and three counts each of wear disguise with intent and fail to comply with a release order.

“He was also subject to a judicial release order related to similar criminal offences. He was held for a bail hearing and appeared before the Ontario Court of Justice in Brampton, where he was remanded into custody pending a future bail hearing,” PRP said.

Police have not identified the remaining four suspects linked to the alleged break-ins but said investigators “anticipate” more charges to be laid. It’s unclear if the stolen vehicle involved in the TTC bus crash was taken during the string of alleged home invasions.

With files from CP24’s Codi WIlson