A 54-year-old New Westminster man was killed after being struck by a drilling truck on Tuesday night.
The New Westminster Police Department reports that first responders were called to the area of McBride Boulevard and Eighth Avenue around 7 p.m. after receiving reports that an unresponsive pedestrian had been struck by the driver of a commercial vehicle. The pedestrian died at the scene.
“Our thoughts are with the family of the person who lost their life this evening,” said Sgt. Andrew Leaver, the NWPD’s media relations officer. “Investigators are working to piece together what happened, and we urge anyone with dash-cam footage or information to come forward.”
According to the NWPD, the driver of the truck remained at the scene and is cooperating with police.
Investigators from the Integrated Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Service (ICARS) attended the scene and helped with the investigation. ICARS members are trained in the use of highly sophisticated equipment that helps them investigate the factors that caused collisions resulting in death or serious injury in B.C.
While police investigated the fatality, the stretch of McBride Boulevard where the incident occurred was closed to traffic until about 4 a.m.
As is the case with any fatal collision, the police department’s Major Crime Unit is overseeing the investigation.
“We are actively looking for witnesses to this incident,” Leaver told the Record. “This was a busy time of the evening, so we know there were other people in the area that may have seen something.”
Anyone who witnessed the incident is asked to call the New Westminster Police Department at 604-525-5411.
“Additionally, if there were any motorists with dash-cameras in the area of Eighth Avenue and McBride Boulevard around 7 p.m. on Feb. 11, we would like to hear from you,” Leaver said.
The Feb. 11 fatality was the second pedestrian to die after being hit by a driver on McBride Boulevard within the past two months.
On Dec. 18, a pedestrian died after being struck in the 300-block of McBride Boulevard.
This week’s pedestrian fatality occurred on the stretch of McBride Boulevard between Eighth and Sixth avenues, while the December fatality occurred between Sixth and Royal avenues.
Jeff Romanyk, acting assistant chief with New Westminster Fire and Rescue Services, said the incident occurred about 200 feet south of the intersection that’s across from the Justice Institute of BC. Because of the weight of the big boom truck carrying hydraulics, he said it would have taken time before the truck was able to stop.
“It’s difficult for everybody involved,” he said.
Firefighters worked to free the pedestrian from under the truck and performed life-saving measures, but the victim died at scene. The fire department will be supporting members who attended the call.
“There is a bit of trauma associated with these kinds of calls, so we are definitely going to follow up with our members and make sure that they are OK,” Romanyk said. “Mental health is always something that we are on top of now.”
