Oak Bay municipal worker struck and killed in crash
A 52-year-old municipal worker and father of two young children is dead after he was struck by a vehicle while inspecting a manhole cover in Oak Bay on Wednesday morning.
Oak Bay police say the crash occurred around 8 a.m. in the 1700-block of Monterey Avenue.
Two of the worker's colleagues tell CTV News the man was in a park across from the Oak Bay fire hall, looking down at the manhole cover, when the northbound vehicle left the roadway and struck him, throwing him several metres.
"Tragically, the man was pronounced deceased at the scene," said Oak Bay police in a release Wednesday.
The vehicle eventually struck a tree in the park, next to Bowker Creek.
The victim had been employed by the municipality for less than a year and was married with young kids, Oak Bay police Chief Mark Fisher said.
Police say the driver of the vehicle, a black SUV, was taken to hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.
Investigators have not yet ruled out a medical emergency or intoxication as factors in the crash, Fisher said.
Witnesses tell CTV News they saw a vehicle speeding down Monterey Avenue and across Oak Bay Avenue, weaving into oncoming lanes and narrowly missing a child on a bicycle, before the collision.
Emergency responders in Oak Bay have closed several blocks to traffic after a serious crash Wednesday morning. (CTV News)
Murray Rankin, the MLA for Oak Bay-Gordon Head and Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation, called the incident a "tragic loss" for the community in a post on his Facebook page.
"Sending my deepest condolences to his loved ones at this time," Rankin said. "We must continue to make roads safer for everyone in our neighbourhoods."
Several blocks of Monterey Avenue, between Cranmore Road and Oak Bay Avenue, were expected to remain closed to traffic for several hours as police investigated the scene.
A section of the street, near the Oak Bay fire hall and police department, remained behind police tape with multiple police officers on scene around noon.
Witnesses tell CTV News they saw a vehicle speeding down Monterey Avenue and across Oak Bay Avenue, weaving into oncoming lanes and narrowly missing a child on a bicycle, before the collision. (CTV News)
Anyone who witnessed the crash or has dashcam video is asked to contact Saanich police, who are assisting with the investigation, at media@saanichpolice.ca.
WorkSafeBC has launched its own investigation into the incident.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Most of Canada to receive emergency alert test today
The federal government will test its capacity to issue emergency alerts today, with the exception of Ontario, where the test will take place on May 15.
'A huge difference': These adults born in the '90s partnered with their parents to buy homes in Ontario
An Ontario woman said it would have been impossible to buy a house without her mother – an anecdote that animates the fact that over 17 per cent of Canadian homeowners born in the ‘90s own their property with their parents, according to a new report.
OPINION No reunion between Prince Harry and the King signifies a setback for royal unity
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has made headlines with his recent arrival in the U.K., this time to celebrate all things Invictus. But upon the prince landing in the U.K., we have already had confirmation that King Charles III won't have time to see his youngest son during his brief visit.
Boy Scouts of America is rebranding. Here's why they're now named Scouting America
After more than a century, Boy Scouts of America is rebranding as Scouting America, another major shakeup for an organization that once proudly resisted change.
How Drake and Kendrick Lamar's rap beef escalated within weeks
A long-simmering feud between hip-hop superstars Drake and Kendrick Lamar reached a boiling point in recent days as the pair traded increasingly personal insults on a succession of diss tracks. Here’s a quick overview of what’s behind the ongoing beef.
Northern Ont. woman makes 'eggstraordinary' find
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
Ontario man devastated to learn $150,000 line of credit isn't insured after wife dies
An Ontario man found out that a line of credit he thought was insured actually isn't after his wife of 50 years died.
NEW For their protection, immigrants critical of China and India call for speedy passage of Canada's foreign interference legislation
Canadian immigrants threatened by hostile regimes are urging parliamentarians to quickly pass the 'Countering Foreign Interference Act' so they can feel safe living in their adopted home.
Spanish prosecutors recommend 2nd investigation into Shakira's taxes be thrown out
Spanish state prosecutors recommended Wednesday that an investigating judge shelve a probe into another alleged case of tax fraud by pop star Shakira.