Drivers in Toronto were faced with an exponentionally more frustrating commute than usual on Wednesday after a shocking incident brought traffic on the Don Valley Parkway to a dead stop and stunned passersby just as peak rush hour was beginning.

All southbound lanes were blocked off by emergency personnel around 3 p.m. near the Queen Street East overpass, where authorities responded to a car accident that involved a shoeless woman running around the highway on (bare) foot, intoxicated.

COLLISION:
DVP + Queen St East
2:39 p.m.
- In the Southbound lanes
- Unknown injuries
- Both lanes blocked
- Expect traffic delays in the area#GO1967874
^lb

— Toronto Police Operations (@TPSOperations) August 23, 2023

While police did not provide many additional details, they did state on X (formerly Twitter) that a collision had occurred at the location at 2:39 p.m.

But, witnesses managed to snap pictures and shed further light on the situation on social media while cops and fire crews got a handle on things and the gridlock continued.

Former Metrolinx spokesperson and current PR expert Anne Marie Aikins, who was on the scene at the time, shared her account of what happened via X this afternoon, saying that she saw a woman "running around with a bottle of vodka until first responders arrived."

"Quite the drama under Queen as woman causes accident," she wrote to the platform along with four photos. "I think everyone [is] ok luckily but she put up a real fight when arrested. Currently banging on cop car windows with her handcuffs."

Other chatter online also mentions that the woman appeared impaired, and was at the centre of the crash.

A spokesperson for the Toronto Police Service confirmed to blogTO that the artery was indeed closed down, and that one motorist was arrested for impaired driving as a result.

The force said around 4:50 p.m. that they expect the road to reopen shortly.

Quite the drama under Queen as woman causes accident. Runs around with bottle of vodka until first responders arrived. I think everyone ok luckily but she put up a real fight when arrested. Currently banging on cop car windows with her handcuffs pic.twitter.com/Z5KMNxvsMu

— Anne Marie Aikins (@AMAprmaven) August 23, 2023

Given outlandish and terrifying incidents like these, it's no wonder many residents feel like the Toronto is deteriorating, and its people, becoming increasingly unpredictable and on edge.

As one person tweeted in response to the matter, "Toronto drivers are not okay" — a statement that feels like it can extend to all of us, not just those behind the wheel.

The current cost of living crisis with its appallingly unaffordable rents and painfully high bills for everything from hydro to groceries sure doesn't help anything.