Xzander Wright has been found guilty of dangerous operation of a vehicle causing death in connection with a collision in Barrhaven that killed Ottawa crossing guard Peter Clark. Wright, 19, had pleaded not guilty to the charge in connection with the fatal March 23 crash at Cedarview Road and Kennevale Drive in Barrhaven. He had earlier pleaded guilty to a charge of failing to stop after an accident in connection with the crash. Family and friends of Clark filled the courtroom as Justice David Berg read out his decision. Wright admitted in court he was driving the Toyota Tundra truck that struck and killed Clark. He testified in his own defence that he didn’t see Clark, who was wearing a bright reflective safety vest and holding up a hand-held stop sign. The Crown argued Wright was looking down when he pressed the gas and advanced into the intersection, and that he kept driving despite feeling a tap felt on the front of the truck, the stop sign appearing on the hood, and feeling bumps under the wheels. The question before Berg was whether Wright’s actions were “a marked departure from what a reasonable driver would do.” Berg found Wright’s failure to yield to pedestrians, or to keep his eyes on the road, did not meet that threshold, but that changed after he felt a tap at the front of his truck and saw a crossing guard paddle on the hood. He says Wright had become aware there was a risk and chose to ignore it. “A reasonable person in Mr. Wright’s circumstances would have, at the speed of thought, asked themselves ‘Who?’ and ‘Why?’ while reflexively applying the brakes. Mr. Wright ignored these circumstances and continued into the turn.” Berg said. Wright’s defence had previously argued the collision was a “tragic perception of failure not a marked departure.” Wright’s lawyer Lawrence Greenspon called Clark’s death a “tragic accident” when speaking with reporters after the verdict. “It was sad, certainly a disappointment for Mr. Wright,” Greenspon said. “It was a tragic accident and if we could roll back time, I’m sure it would have been avoided.” In a statement, Clark’s widow Amanda said: “Whatever the verdict, it changes absolutely nothing for me. Peter is still gone forever, and I have to live a life’s sentence without my soulmate.” Family and friends remembered Clark, 55, as a man who loved his family, friends, animals, sports, nature, and going to the movies, and as a dedicated crossing guard. The case will return to court in November for sentencing. With files from CTV News Ottawa’s Katelyn Wilson
