Cyclist killed in collision

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This article was published 07/10/2023 (732 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A Vincent Massey High School student was hit and killed Thursday afternoon while on his bicycle, in the intersection of Victoria Avenue and McDiarmid Drive.

The collision happened shortly before 5 p.m. as the cyclist was heading north on McDiarmid Drive when he was struck by a westbound vehicle.

Kathleen Barteaux works in the Bell MTS Store, which is on the same corner, and said while she didn’t see the collision, their security camera did. It was the flashing lights of the emergency vehicles that caught her attention.

“I was here by myself and wasn’t sitting where I could see the intersection until I noticed the flashing lights and heard the ambulances. Nobody here actually saw it first-hand,” Barteaux said.

Barteaux added there were many vehicles that stopped, and several drivers were trying to do what they could at the accident scene.

As part of its ongoing investigation, Brandon Police Service is looking for witnesses and businesses that may have had security cameras that captured the fatal collision, according to Const. Amanda Conway.

“The scene has been reconstructed by our investigators, and we have had some witnesses come forward, but we are still looking for anyone else who may have witnessed it, including businesses who have video cameras,” Conway said.

Barteaux said that police approached them at the store, asking if they had video.

“We face south onto Victoria Avenue, and we have a small parking lot on the west side of the building, and we have a camera that looks out that way, and it just catches the intersection in that camera footage. So, we were able to provide BPS with footage of the accident,” Conway said.

The intersection has a crosswalk with lights that flash once someone pushes the button.

Barteaux said in the past, the lights weren’t working, and she contacted the city to have them fixed, which they did.

There is no data from the City of Brandon or BPS as to the number of vehicles that travel through the intersection daily, but within three blocks each way are four restaurants, including a McDonald’s and a Tim Hortons, and about two blocks south of the intersection is Vincent Massey High School.

“The staff here were just talking Friday morning about how it is always such a dangerous intersection. We often cross that intersection to go to Tim Hortons for lunch or what have you. Sometimes I take the bus to work and get off one stop earlier so that I don’t have to walk across that intersection. We see it all the time, pedestrians, cyclists, things like that, trying to get across there,” Barteaux said.

On Friday afternoon, Brandon School Division released a statement extending deep condolences to family and friends during this difficult time, who may be dealing with the death of the Vincent Massey student.

“Supports and resources are available for our school community today and through the coming days to provide a supportive space for students and staff to express their grief and emotions as they cope with the loss of a classmate and friend. We ask our community to keep the family in their thoughts during this difficult time,” said a statement emailed to the Sun.

The next steps in the investigation, Conway said, will focus on analysis from the scene, looking for additional witnesses and gathering video.

A safety message and reminder from Conway included: “As a cyclist, you should be dismounting off your bike and walking your bike across. And as a driver, you should always be aware of your surroundings. Make sure you’re paying attention not only to the roads and what the rules are of the road, but also what’s going on around you.”

Anyone with information about Thursday afternoon’s fatal collision at the intersection of Victoria Avenue and McDiarmid Drive is asked to contact the Brandon Police Service traffic section at 204-729-2345.

» mmcdougall@brandonsun.com

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