Victoria police investigating after old-growth logging protester hit by car during rally
Victoria police are investigating after an old-growth logging protester was hit by a car outside of the provincial law courts on Wednesday evening.
Police say the collision occurred around 6 p.m. when a group of activists were rallying outside of the law courts in the 600-block of Blanshard Street, with some on the sidewalk and some on the northbound lanes of the road.
Victoria police say the vehicle, which was travelling northbound on Blanshard Street, had just cleared the top of a hill with "low-visibility" when it crashed into a protester at a low speed.
Police spoke with the driver, the person struck, and nearby witnesses, and the police department says it does not believe there was any indication that the driver intentionally struck the person who moved into the roadway.
Investigators add that they are not aware of any prior conflict between the driver and the pedestrian before the crash occurred.
Police say the pedestrian was offered an ambulance but initially declined one. Soon after, the person requested an ambulance and was taken to hospital.
Activists with the Rainforest Flying Squad have differing accounts of the crash.
The group says the person who was hit by the car, Warren Kimmit, had stepped in front of an Indigenous Elder "whom he believed the car was aiming for."
He says he was able to push the senior, Rose Henry, also known as Grandma Losah, out of the way before the car hit him and he rolled onto the hood of the vehicle.
The Rainforest Flying Squad says a man who witnessed the crash, Zach Smith, saw the vehicle slowly approach the group of protesters before it "jerked to the right and accelerated" towards Henry and Kimmit.
Police say no one was arrested in connection to the incident.
Victoria police say the crash is still under investigation. Anyone with information on the incident is asked to call Victoria police at 250-995-7654.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Bob Cole, veteran CBC broadcaster and former voice of 'Hockey Night in Canada,' dead at 90
Bob Cole, legendary CBC broadcaster and former voice of Hockey Night in Canada, has died. He was 90.
Harvey Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction overturned by N.Y. appeals court
New York's highest court on Thursday overturned Harvey Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction, reversing a landmark ruling of the #MeToo era in determining the trial judge improperly allowed women to testify about allegations against the ex-movie mogul that weren't part of the case.
BREAKING Honda to get up to $5B in govt help for EV battery, assembly plants
Honda is set to build an electric vehicle battery plant next to its Alliston, Ont., assembly plant, which it is retooling to produce fully electric vehicles, all part of a $15-billion project that is expected to include up to $5 billion in public money.
MPP Sarah Jama asked to leave Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
MPP Sarah Jama was asked to leave the Legislative Assembly of Ontario by House Speaker Ted Arnott on Thursday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment that is banned at Queen’s Park.
CTE: Researchers believe widespread brain injury may contribute to veteran suicide rate
Researchers are working to better understand if some Canadian military veterans may be suffering from Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, also known as CTE -- a disorder previously found in the brains of professional football and hockey players after their death.
1 arrested in northern Alberta during public shelter order
Residents of John D'Or Prairie, a community on the Little Red River Cree Nation in northern Alberta, were told to take shelter Thursday morning during a police operation.
Secret $70M Lotto Max winners break their silence
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Remains from a mother-daughter cold case were found nearly 24 years later, after a deathbed confession from the suspect
A West Virginia father is getting some sense of closure after authorities found the remains of his young daughter and her mother following a deathbed confession from the man believed to have fatally shot them nearly two decades ago.
New deep-water channel allows first ship to pass Key bridge wreckage in Baltimore
The first cargo ship passed through a newly opened deep-water channel in Baltimore on Thursday after being stuck in the harbor since the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed four weeks ago, halting most maritime traffic through the city's port.