West Vancouver police are investigating after a driver struck down a 15-year-old student and a leashed dog in a crosswalk near Rockridge Secondary on Tuesday.
According to Const. Kevin Goodmurphy, the 86-year-old driver of a Honda Civic was heading west in the 4700 block of Caulfeild Drive where the crosswalk meets the tunnel under the Upper Levels Highway just after noon when he hit the teen.
“He was thrown to the ground [with the driver] narrowly missing a few other students who were with him, and the driver also struck a dog who was on leash,” Goodmurphy said.
The driver continued on and crashed into a nearby retaining wall at a speed of about 40 kilometres per hour. He was taken to hospital by ambulance with chest and leg injuries and, as of Wednesday afternoon, remained in treatment.
The teen mostly had scrapes and bruises and was taken to be checked out at the hospital by a family member. The dog suffered serious injuries to its hindquarters and pelvic area and had to be taken to an emergency vet, Goodmurphy said.
The exact cause of the crash is still under investigation, but Goodmurphy said it’s looking like the driver may have hit the accelerator when he intended to hit the brakes. The driver will likely be served with a violation ticket, he added.
“As well as requesting a review of their licence by the superintendent of motor vehicles,” he said.
