Another pedestrian has been badly injured after being struck by a car in the Comox Valley – the fifth person to be hit in the region in just four days.
The latest incident happened in Courtenay. The man was in a vehicle parked on Dyke Road facing northbound when he got out and started to cross the street, according to police.
He stepped right in the path of an oncoming vehicle and was struck, sending a bucket of oyster shells he was carrying spilling out across the road.
The woman driving the vehicle didn’t have a chance to react, and merchants nearby heard the impact and then the driver screaming.
The driver stayed at the scene and cooperated with police.
“This is our fifth one this week, so once again, we have to urge people, make sure you look both ways before you cross the road,” said Const. Rob Gardner.
It’s the fifth case of a vehicle striking a pedestrian, cyclist or skateboarder in the city this week.
Robert Anthony Leslie, 92, died from his injuries after he was struck in a crosswalk Sunday night.
On Tuesday, a 24-year-old woman was also struck in a crosswalk and rushed to hospital in critical condition.
“We just take them as they come and we’ll just have to deal with them, and hope that people get the message out there and we can get people to be a little more observant and slow down,” Gardner said.
The man in Wednesday’s incident remains in hospital with significant injuries.
