Toronto - Fleeing car drags cyclist to his death

Submitted by tyler883 on

http://www.thestar.com/article/689188

this is terrible. What started out as an accident turned into a man slaughter case. I hope the driver is charged and convicted.

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He looks smug in the back doesn't he...

Submitted by NW_Tri_and_Bike on

I hope he didn't complain the handcuffs were too tight.

Homicide is assisting the traffic unit... once the traffic components are wrapped up I think they will be taking over the investigation. There may be some gorunds to upgrade the charges once all the evidence is gathered and reviewed by the crown. I suspect a manslaughter charge is coming. I would prefer murder (2nd degree would apply) as I think a reasonable person would feel that intentionally driving into oncoming traffic to remove someone from your vehicle would likely result in grievous bodily harm or death, that is the know they could be killing someone vs manslaughter (which seems to be oops I should have known it could kill them...)

Either way this former AG is scum.

Unbelievable

Submitted by Raf on

I'm in disbelief that anyone, certainly a former Attorny General would be so malicious and have such a callous disregard for human life. I see vehicular manslaughter for this one but agree with NW_Tri_and_Bike, this one should be 2nd degree murder. Its disgusting and that a$$hole doesn't deserve any breaks or deals.

unfortunately there is no...

Submitted by NW_Tri_and_Bike on

such thing as vehicular manslaughter in the criminal code. I just looked at an update the charges to be sworn today are to be:

criminal negligence causing death and dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing death

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/timeline-of-events/article1...

I hope some evidence comes forward to support upgrading the charges, the crash crew reports will take some time to compile, that combined with some video should help...

He's rich so he'll fight it. Less affulent folks might try and beat the clock by pleading down at this stage to avoid the potential of an upgrade in the charges. CPS has successfully convicted two people of manslaghter in relation to driving incidents...

knarly story

Submitted by critninja on

i am not so sure that the motorist is 100% at fault. based on the story, it sounds like there was an altercation between the cyclist and the motorist before things got ugly. also sounds like the cyclist was holding onto the car while the motorist was swerving around (trying to make him let go???).

you know, kinda shows that "gettin into it" with motorists is not always a good idea...

sad story.

when i see an adult on a bicycle, i do not despair for the future of the human race.
- h.g. wells

I would approach this ...

Submitted by NW_Tri_and_Bike on

as a Homicide that is using some collision reconstruction as evidence, not strictly as a traffic collision. There are plenty of incidents where fights go too far and someone ends up dead, this guy just happened to use his car. Had he used a gun this debate would not be happening.

online discussion

Submitted by Robert Bott on

I'll try to tune in, but somehow my two cents got onto that page before they closed comments. It's the only one there so far, and last time I looked the thumbs-ups seemed to outnumber thumbs-down by about two to one.

Of course there's so much more one could say. So much stupidity out there, so much anger. And so many adages seem apt, e.g.:
Don't bring a knife to a gunfight.

self-defense

Submitted by ride on

Based on a recent conversation I had with Calgary Police after filing a complaint about a motorist driving at me the wrong way down 4th Ave SW (dropped because the driver "was fearful of the cyclist" after nearly running me down), I suspect that the AG's lawyer will argue that his client acted in self-defense, that he was fearful that his safety inside his 2-tonne metal cage was jeopardized by a cyclist on a 10-kg bike holding on to his vehicle, and that he acted with only his own personal safety in mind. In fact, I'll be surprised if the charges aren't dropped before the case ever gets to trial.

In any confrontation with a motorist, the cyclist will likely lose, whether physically or legally. Unless of course there is irrefutable video-taped evidence.

It will be interesting to see how this plays out, but in the meanwhile, let's be careful out there.

If there is any truth to this part

Submitted by Spinner on

of the article:

Mr. Rajadurai said he saw the the cyclist slam his backpack onto the car's hood and then grab the driver's side mirror as the vehicle sped away.

He may very well have a solid self defense case. The guy was driving a convertible, so its easy to get in a few good shots to the head before dragging the guy out. I'm not saying the guy didn't deserve a shot in the head, maybe, maybe not, we really don't know, the article doesn't state how the accident happened in the first place.Nor am I saying the cyclist deserved this, if I was in his shoes, and felt I was in the wronged. I would have done the same or more. Maybe its a wake up call for those of us, myself included, who can become a bit too aggressive for our own good after a close call. Condolences for the mans family

we really don't know much here...

Submitted by NW_Tri_and_Bike on

So far we know there was a minor collision that lead to an altercation that lead to the cyclist being dragged into oncoming traffic, he let go got ran over and died.

We don't know if this e AG was drinking, etc. As continuity was lost due to him fleeing I don't see any breath testing, but evidence of drinking will likely form part of the circumstances for the charges laid at this point.

We don't know if the rider was acting aggressively.

I think the rider was trying to prevent the driver from fleeing and took it too far. Buy we shall see....

from the Globe... give some more context

Submitted by NW_Tri_and_Bike on

This may explain some of the lack of judgement

The cyclist killed in an altercation with former Ontario attorney-general Michael Bryant had been drinking and was involved in a confrontation with police earlier in the evening.

Darcy Allan Sheppard was investigated but released without charges Monday night after a former girlfriend called Toronto police, The Globe and Mail has confirmed. The incident, described as minor, took place in downtown Toronto, not far from where Mr. Sheppard and Mr. Bryant collided at 9:45 p.m. in an explosion of violence that left one man dead, the other with his public service career in tatters.

Details of the earlier encounter add to the developing story of how an event that apparently began as a shouted confrontation between cyclist and motorist – an ordinary enough clash in an increasingly congested city – ended with the bike courier holding on for dear life to Mr. Bryant's black convertible Saab as he drove the wrong way down Bloor Street near the posh Yorkville district – seemingly trying, deliberately according to some eyewitnesses, to loosen the man's grip and succeeding with tragic results when the man fell bleeding to the ground after being slammed into a mailbox.

He was rushed to hospital but died about an hour later.

_____

Earlier eyewitness accounts describe an angry clash between Mr. Bryant and Mr. Sheppard – a toot of the horn and a shout to get moving from Mr. Bryant; a refusal and perhaps an answering shout from Mr. Sheppard; Mr. Bryant edging his convertible closer, and by one account, actually hitting Mr. Sheppard's bike, whereupon Mr. Sheppard allegedly left his bike and marched over and reached into the offending open car.

_______

Hit a bike with a car + liquid courage = 2 ruined lives

I find it rather disturbing....

Submitted by gyrospanner on

I don't really care where Mr. Sheppard's head was at - so he had a fight with his girlfriend earlier - he didn't deserve to die! It isn"t like he he offended the motorist - he didn't stick a glock to his head or anything, Mr. Bryant just used the 2,000 lb advantage in his rage...

I'm always lookin' over my shoulder.....

It's still a really disturbing tragedy in my mind!

Ride Safe

Iwas refering to the ...

Submitted by NW_Tri_and_Bike on

fact that Bryant provoked Sheppard by hitting him first... Bryant should rot for this...

Part my opinion on this issue is that Bryant's car was choosen as a "weapon of oppportunity". The crown prosecuting this case should push that angle.

So he wasn't a cyclist, then.

Submitted by scwood on

If he "left his bike" to get in a dustup with the driver, he was a _pedestrian_ (albeit a belligerent one) at the time of the incident. You don't call a guy a "driver" when he's out of his car unless your on a race-track. You also don't get to imply that the vehicle was a factor in the incident.

If this turns out to be an accurate detail, it's interesting because I said, "If he'd been a pedestrian, we wouldn't even be arguing about this," around the water-cooler this morning, which generally got some nods of agreement. At the time, it struck me as strange that people were OK with using a car to kill a guy, but only if he had a bike between his legs.

Lots more coverage on the

Submitted by Robert Bott on

Lots more coverage on the Globe website this morning.
One structural factor: On-street parking on a major thoroughfare like Bloor. There should be no parking and a bike lane there, preferably segregated with a concrete curb.

hire a PR firm -

Submitted by umgray on

Looks like Bryant hired a PR firm which will do everything in its arsenal to make the the bicyclist look like a terrorist. They have already used his brothers' convivtions and the fact he is in jain in Winnipeg to paint the family history. This will end up being another classic case of people who have power and money vs the blue collar worker.

I gurantee in the next two weeks you will see Michael Bryant doing the following:

1) playing with his children at a park in a it's not a photo op - photo op
wearing a _______________ (insert designer approved attire) here.

2) He will be videoed riding a race bike in full gear (helmet) on some bike path (probably not a road) with or without his children.

What he won't be doing:

1) Driving a black sabb convertable

2) driving - he will be driven

This is what a PR firm will do for him - create the image and the story before he even steps into a court of law.

The Toronto Bicycle coalition should (I wish they had the money) to also retain a PR firm to counter.

Regardless of how pissed off I am at this incident it has reminded me to count to 10 and realize that I will never win an argument with a car, and I hope the drivers of calgary realize that using their cars as weapons of intimidation could have dire results in your life.

Its just a shame that this has happened again.

I am hoping for the truth

Submitted by tyler883 on

Whatever the truth is, I hope it comes out and justice is served. If Bryant was fearful and scared then he doesn't deserve to be tarred and feathered,

but if he was fleeing for narcissistic reasons then I really hope to see him go to jail.

BT Video...

Submitted by NW_Tri_and_Bike on

Caught a comment on CBC... & I can't get video at work... could someone find it and post the link...

"The video I just saw on breakfast television shows the car hitting the bicyclist, at an intersection, and then backing up. You can clearly see the bicyclist laying on the ground when the car backs up. They cut away from the video when the bicyclist was getting up."

actually, do they still sell

Submitted by tyler883 on

actually, do they still sell gloves with a steel skid pad in the palm?

I think that would be a wonderful "safety" item that could smash windows if I instinctively put my hand out to protect myself from a motorist that has gotten too close.

another opinion from The Globe

Submitted by ride on

Another opinion from Globe & Mail columnist Marcus Gee. Lots of comments on his article, too.

And, just so there's something normal in the way of bike-commuter stories, the Globe published this video story of a guy riding his bike to work. Looks like he rides quite a long way on his commute. It would be good to see a few videos like that of bike-commuting in Calgary.

bikes: use whole lane

Submitted by ride on

The rules couldn't be any clearer than when explained by a bike cop: cyclists may use the whole lane whenever they decide they need to. Too many cyclists actually are accomplices in creating a car-bike confrontation by hugging the right side of the lane when there isn't enough room for a motor vehicle to pass safely - then the vehicle passes too close, the cyclist gets upset, and there's a confrontation. It could all be avoided by not encouraging the motorist to make an unsafe pass. Case in point: when crossing under the railway underpasses, use the whole damn lane!

Railway underpasses

Submitted by Raf on

I completely agree, I generally don't worry about those rail underpasses because I just take the whole lane. You come into them so steep you can easily keep up with traffic, and during rush hour those cars are usually going at a snails pace, so you can come out of them at the same pace as well. Not in a million years would I hug the side in those undepasses.

Release conditions

Submitted by NW_Tri_and_Bike on

Former Ontario attorney general Michael Bryant has been ordered not to drive any motor vehicle until the criminal charges he is facing are settled.

The former high-profile Ontario cabinet minister and former president and CEO of Invest Toronto has also been ordered to surrender his passport, remain within the province of Ontario and inform police of any change of address or employment.

I guess he had to officially report his change of employment, I mean resignation to the TPS!

Pretty standard... I would have liked a 15 metre "no-go" zone around any cyclist...

damning evidence

Submitted by critninja on

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExWyf3NzdMI

in the video it appears the incident happened like this...
- car is stopped, cyclist comes around from left and pulls in front
- car then purposefully hits bike and rider sending rider to the ground
- car backs up and tries to speed off - cyclist grabs onto car
- sadly, we know the rest of the story

so, from this guys saddle, the driver intended to hurt the cyclist when he hit him while he was stopped.

damning evidence for sure.

when i see an adult on a bicycle, i do not despair for the future of the human race.
- h.g. wells

surveillance camera

Submitted by vonbergm on

Surveillance camera footage is always grainy, and it is tricky to figure out exactly what happened. Here is a link to an annotated version of the video that gives some guide at what to look for. If you go through it frame by frame you can start to piece together some of the story. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufM7zvX3-tM&annotation_id=annotation_4060...

Apparently, if a car charges into a cyclist on purpose at low speed, causing the cyclist to fall, but not seriously injuring the cyclist, then the police will call this a "minor incident". I find this outrageous. This happened to me before and it feels everything but "minor". It's kind of like having a gun pointed at you and the guy pulling the trigger, aiming so that the bullet only grazes you.

Good

Submitted by Halcyon on

As tragic as this incident was, I'm glad there is obvious evidence of what happened. We'll have to see if Canadian justice can now do it's job.

minor accidents.

Submitted by 2wheeler on

Maybe it's considered minor because of the cost of repair. I was under the impression that if a car accident is less than $1500 damage it is considered minor. The police won't even show up.

We just need to buy carbon rimmed aero wheels...

Not sure if I saw

Submitted by Spinner on

that properly. To me it looked like he was forced onto the guys hood,and was still there when the car sped off.Am I seeing that correctly? If so, then he must have grabbed the mirror as he was sliding off. If he did, come around the car and stop in front of him. It seems like a strange thing to do, unless you're purposefully trying to provoke the driver. Maybe this whole thing started back a block or two and what was caught on the cameras is the sad ending.

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