A martial arts instructor whose truck was T-boned in a Victoria intersection with such force that it broke apart on impact with a city bus, has told friends and colleagues he plans to be back at work within weeks.
David Bruun, 34, was the driver of a pickup truck that was hit in the Douglas and Bay streets intersection by a speeding car that ran a red light about 10:30 p.m. on Wednesday night. He called a friend from hospital the same night to ask him to cover his work shift.
Bruun is an instructor at Van Isle Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, martial arts for kids and adults, at 941 Ellery St. in Esquimalt.
Joe Nunn, a close friend, said it’s just like Bruun to be so responsible and dedicated as to worry about his students and colleagues, even though he’d just experienced a “horrific” incident that could easily have killed him.
“At the time when he called I didn’t know the severity of it,” said Nunn. “He said, ‘I got hit by a bus, can you cover my shift?’”
Bruun didn’t go into much detail; “he didn’t even tell me he was in hospital,” said Nunn.
When Nunn got home Wednesday night, he watched surveillance video circulating of the high-speed impact.
The video shows Bruun’s white pickup travelling east on Bay Street when it was hit and spun backwards across the intersection and into a B.C. Transit bus on Douglas Street — hit with such force the truck cab splintered apart on impact.
The video also showed the car that ran the red light, upon hitting the truck, bursting into flames and resting on the other side of the bus.
Police described the pickup driver’s injuries as “serious and possibly life-altering,” while B.C. Transit said no significant injuries were reported by passengers on the bus.
Insurance Corporation of B.C. statistics show 81 crashes at that intersection from 2018 to 2022.
Nunn contacted his friend again Wednesday night after watching the video.
“I said, ‘Dude, I saw the video!, what the heck?,’ and he was like, ‘Yeah, I’m hard to kill, I’m getting better and I’ll only be in a neck brace for another four days,’” said Nunn.
Nunn doesn’t know if his friend will truly mend that quickly, or what the long-term medical implications and recovery period might be, but apparently Bruun is motivating himself by planning to be back at work within weeks.
Bruun asked Nunn if he could also cover his shifts next week until he could be “back on the mat” or at least teaching from the sidelines.
Nunn described Bruun as a “really tough, tough individual.”
“He’s a warrior, he’s always on the mats, he’s very strong and tough but also exceptionally kind,” said Nunn. “He always tries to include everybody and making sure people are getting together, and he hosts barbecues and cooks quite a bit. He’s a wonderful person.”
He is incredibly lucky to be alive, said Nunn. “It could have easily gone another way.”
Nunn said Bruun hasn’t mentioned the driver of the car who hit him or how and why the crash occurred and said it wouldn’t be like him or his community to speak in terms of seeking justice.
Victoria Police said Friday they continue to investigate.
Crash analysts were on the scene Wednesday, and forensic identification officers took a breath sample and collected a blood sample from the car driver to determine whether impairment was involved.
“We have not received the results back yet and the investigation is ongoing,” said police in an email. “We will provide an update once further information is available.”
The driver of the car that ran the red light is not in hospital, while the driver’s passenger and the pickup driver remain in hospital.
Jean-Marc De Groot, owner of Van Isle Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in Esquimalt, said Bruun is one of the kindest and most generous individuals he’s ever met.
“He’s a passionate and skilled Jiu Jitsu-black belt practitioner and instructor who always gives extra time to students and gives back in droves to the student community and team,” said De Groot.
“We are incredibly happy that he survived and is in recovery,” said De Groot.
Bystanders and bus passengers were credited with helping remove the pickup driver and car driver and passenger from their vehicles.
A Victoria police vehicle that went through the same intersection just seconds before the crash was quickly on the scene. Crews from the Victoria Fire Department and B.C. Ambulance paramedics also responded.
