The crash that killed five members of the same Surrey, B.C., family last week may have been caused by an undiagnosed brain tumour of the driver who hit them, according to his family’s lawyer.

Daniel Gore, 46, was the lone survivor when his white minivan allegedly sped through a red light at 32nd Ave. and Highway 15 in Surrey and smashed into a Toyota Corolla. The impact was so severe the smaller vehicle was sheared in half, and a pair of sunglasses were left imbedded into a metal pole.

RCMP Cpl. Bert Paquet said Gore died in hospital Sunday afternoon following surgery two days earlier for a “condition that was discovered as a result of being critically injured in the accident.”

Gore’s lawyer, Richard Fowler, told CTV News that doctors discovered a pre-existing brain tumour as he was being treated for his extensive injuries in hospital.

Fowler described his client as a “kind, compassionate family man” who coached minor hockey in Surrey, and taught children how to skate.

Gore was on his way to work that Sunday morning as a meat cutter, and wasn’t in a hurry, Fowler said.

He believes that Gore suffered some sort of medical emergency behind the wheel as he was driving.

“By all accounts he was a safe and prudent driver and the only reasonable explanation for what happened… is that he suffered some medical issue most likely related to his tumour before the accident,” he said.

Mounties told CTV News they are now examining whether that medical condition may have contributed to the collision.

Gore was apparently lucid before his surgery Friday, but investigators did not have a chance to speak with him before his death.

Three generations of the Sachdeva family -- including a young mother, a grandmother and aunt -- were killed, along with the mother's five-year-old son and three-year-old daughter.

Hundreds of people packed into a Delta funeral home Friday to honour the victims.

Funeral plans for Gore have not been made public, and Fowler said the family is coming to terms with his passing.

“The family is obviously devastated at the loss of their father and their friend,” Fowler said.

“They also extend condolences to the family and friends of the other deceased as a result of what is obviously a very tragic accident.”

The investigation into the crash is ongoing.