This news article was posted to the online edition of the Edmonton Sun on June 14, 2012. You can read it there by following this link. I am republishing it here in case the Edmonton Sun subsequently removes the content. I believe doing so constitutes fair use as this entire blog is dedicated to commentary on the event described in the article.

Bus driver receives fine for fatal crash

BY PAMELA ROTH ,EDMONTON SUN

Wiping tears from his eyes, an Edmonton Transit bus driver who fatally struck a woman crossing the street in a marked crosswalk last year was handed a $2,000 fine in provincial court Thursday.

When reading her decision, Judge Shelagh Creagh said the incident was a result of a momentary lapse of attention, noting the emotional toll it has taken on both driver Bruce Perrin and the family of victim Ailish O’Connor.

“No matter what point of view one looks at the situation, it’s a tragedy,” said Creagh, adding she hopes everyone can eventually find peace with what happened. “This incident has taken a substantial toll on everyone involved.

Earlier this week, the 53-year-old Perrin pleaded guilty to failing to yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk under the Traffic Safety Act.

According to agreed facts, it was around 6:45 a.m. on April 20, 2011 when Perrin was driving westbound in the left lane on 102A Avenue and came to a stop at a red light at 97 Street.

O’Connor, 28, was on her way to work, standing on the southeast corner of the intersection waiting for the light to turn green.

When the light changed, she began walking west across 97 Street. At the same time, Perrin accelerated from the stop line to turn left and began going south on 97 Street.

O’Connor was about halfway across the street when she was struck by the bus. She was removed from the underside by firefighters and pronounced dead in hospital.

Perrin had been driving a city bus for 30 years without an incident, and claims he got a glaring effect through his eyeglasses from the sunrise being reflected off a building. He has since left his job and now works for Telus screening phone calls.

During his emotional sentencing hearing on Tuesday, the court heard that Perrin was “so paralyzed” by what happened that he does not recall the exact details. He’s refused other job offers to drive a bus, added Creagh in her decision.

“This incident has also taken a toll on him. He’s experienced depression and anxiety,” said Creagh, noting Perrin is described as a kind and gentle man, and was liked by his passengers. “He’s clearly aware of the pain the family is experiencing.”

In a victim impact statement read to the court on Tuesday, O’Connor’s husband of one year, Chris Thompson, said he cries all the time, feels confused and utterly alone.

He wiped tears from his eyes as he listened to Creagh’s decision, and declined to comment on the sentence.

“The only comment I have is that I loved Ailish with all my heart,” said Thompson outside court. “I hope everyone can find peace also.”

In addition to the fine, Perrin was given a 90-day driving ban.

This news article was posted to the online edition of the Edmonton Journal on June 14, 2012. You can read it there by following this link. I am republishing it here in case the Edmonton Journal subsequently removes the content. I believe doing so constitutes fair use as this entire blog is dedicated to commentary on the event described in the article.

This news article was posted to the online edition of the Edmonton Sun on June 11, 2012. You can read it there by following this link. I am republishing it here in case the Edmonton Sun subsequently removes the content. I believe doing so constitutes fair use as this entire blog is dedicated to commentary on the event described in the article.

Bus driver guilty in ped death

FIRST POSTED: MONDAY, JUNE 11, 2012 04:00 PM MDT

An Edmonton Transit bus driver who fatally struck a woman who was crossing the street in a marked crosswalk owned up to the “devastating” collision in court Monday.

Bruce Charles Perrin, 53, pleaded guilty in Provincial Court to a charge under the Traffic Safety Act of failing to yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk.

Both the Crown and defence agreed that while the death was a “devastating” tragedy, it was unintentional on the part of Perrin, but that was little comfort to victim Ailish O’Connor’s crying sister and heartbroken husband.

In a victim impact statement read out in court, Chris Thompson said the death “destroyed” his world and he misses O’Connor with “every ounce” of his being.

“Ailish was an amazing woman, my best friend and my one true love,” wrote Thompson. “I cry all the time. I cannot focus on my work. I feel confused and utterly alone.

“My world is ashen and grey without her,” he said. “I will never again be able to say that everything is right with the universe. Every day was better with Ailish in my life and every day is worse since she left.”

According to agreed facts, Perrin was operating an ETS bus in the downtown area about 6:45 a.m. on April 20, 2011. He was going westbound in the left lane on 102A Avenue when he came to a stop at a red light at 97 Street.

O’Connor, 28, was on her way to work and was standing on the southeast corner of the intersection waiting for the light to turn green. When it did and the walk light illuminated, O’Connor began walking west across 97 Street.

At the same time, Perrin accelerated from the stop line to turn left and began going south on 97 Street. As O’Connor was about halfway across the street, the bus struck her.

The victim was removed from the underside of the bus by firefighters and taken to the Royal Alexandra Hospital where she was pronounced dead at 7:21 a.m.

Four passengers on the bus who witnessed the deadly collision said they all observed O’Connor crossing the street before she was hit.

Perrin told police at the scene he had taken his prescribed Oxycontin pain medication earlier that morning. A field sobriety test was performed and officers did not form the belief that his ability to drive was impaired.

Crown prosecutor Julie Snowdon asked for Perrin to be handed the maximum $2,000 fine and a 90-day driving ban, saying the public needs to know that “even a moment of inattention can lead to devastating consequences.”

Defence lawyer Barinder Pannu told court Perrin had been driving a city bus for 30 years without an incident and suggested a $1,500 fine with no driving ban.

Pannu said Perrin was “so paralyzed” by what happened that he does not recall the exact details. He also said the veteran driver claims he got a glaring effect through his eyeglasses from the sunrise being reflected in a building.

Since the collision, Perrin went through a serious depression, had problems sleeping and was unable to work. He was also feeling suicidal and seeing a psychologist.

“He said to me ‘I wish I were dead rather than the person who died’,” said Pannu.

Perrin apologized in court to the victim’s family.

A sentencing decision is slated for Thursday.

This news article was posted to the online edition of the Edmonton Journal on June 11, 2012. You can read it there by following this link. I am republishing it here in case the Edmonton Journal subsequently removes the content. I believe doing so constitutes fair use as this entire blog is dedicated to commentary on the event described in the article.

Bus driver ‘totally devastated’ over pedestrian’s death, court told

BY BRENT WITTMEIER, EDMONTONJOURNAL.COM JUNE 11, 2012 3:02 PM

EDMONTON – A bus driver who struck and killed a 28-year-old city worker in April 2010 pleaded guilty Monday to failure to yield.

Bruce Perrin, 52, occasionally sobbed as court heard arguments about factors in the accident and sentencing possibilities under the Traffic Safety Act violation.

Barinder Pannu, Perrin’s lawyer, talked about glare coming from buildings, and his client’s otherwise clean driving record, when arguing for a $1,000 fine and waiving of a discriminatory three-month licence suspension.

“Nobody minimizes the tragedy,” Pannu said. “This is purely accidental.”

Crown counsel Julie Snowdon said that “anything less than the maximum prohibition and maximum fine is simply not enough.”

On April 20, 2011, the 15-year bus driver was driving the Route 1 bus just before 6:50 a.m. when he turned left from 102A Avenue into the southbound lane of 97th Street, a marked intersection just south of the Edmonton Law Courts building. He hit Ailish O’Connor, who was on her way to work as the city’s strategic planning director in the office of the chief financial officer.

Fire crews had to free her from under the bus. O’Connor was transferred to the Royal Alexandra Hospital, where she was declared dead.

According to an agreed statement of facts, Perrin had taken a prescribed dose of OxyContin that morning as a pain medication, but police did not believe the medication impaired his driving ability.

Perrin is no longer a bus driver and has battled depression, insomnia, and nightmares. He told Pannu he wishes he had died rather than O’Connor. He turned down offers to drive school buses.

“He is so paralyzed by this experience, he doesn’t remember what happened,” Pannu said. “He is basically totally devastated. He is mentally totally shattered.”

Sentencing is expected Thursday afternoon.

Today, the Edmonton Police Service released the following statement:

The EPS Traffic Section has completed their investigation and charged Bruce Charles Perrin, 51, with one count of driving with undue care, and one count of fail to yield to pedestrian in cross walk.

Background:

A 28-year-old woman died after she was struck by an ETS bus while crossing a street in downtown Edmonton, at approximately 6:50 a.m. Wednesday, April 20, 2011.

An Edmonton Transit System (ETS) bus was turning left at an intersection at 102A Avenue to head south on 97 Street when it hit the woman, who was crossing in a marked crosswalk on her way to work.

EMS treated the pedestrian on site before transporting the woman to hospital, where her injuries were determined to be fatal.

The Edmonton Journal writes:

A 51-year-old bus driver has been charged with two Traffic Safety Act offences after a 28-year-old woman was killed by an Edmonton Transit bus in April.

The man was charged with failing to yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk and driving without due care.

Ailish O’Connor, 28, was killed on April 20. A Route 1 bus was turning left from 102A Avenue into the southbound lane of 97th Street at about 6:50 a.m., when it hit O’Connor, who was on her way to work. The marked crosswalk is just south of the Edmonton Law Courts building downtown.

The trial is expected to start in June.

CBC News reports:

An Edmonton bus driver has been charged in the death of a 28-year-old city employee in April.

Ailish O’Connor was in a crosswalk at 102A Avenue and 97th Street around 6:50 a.m. on April 20th when she was struck by a transit bus making a left-hand turn. She later died in hospital.

Edmonton city police announced Tuesday that a 51-year-old man has been charged with driving without due care, and failing to yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk.

I’m not quite sure why this was released today. I knew about the charges almost two months ago, and knew about the trial last month, when the bus driver plead not guilty. Still, I am happy to see that people have not forgotten.

This news article was posted to the online edition of CBC News on April 20, 2011. You can read it there by following this link. I am republishing it here in case the Edmonton Journal subsequently removes the content. I believe doing so constitutes fair use as this entire blog is dedicated to commentary on the event described in the article.

This news article was posted to the online edition of CBC News on April 20, 2011. You can read it there by following this link. I am republishing it here in case the Edmonton Journal subsequently removes the content. I believe doing so constitutes fair use as this entire blog is dedicated to commentary on the event described in the article.

This news article was posted to the online edition of the Edmonton Journal on April 21, 2011. You can read it there by following this link. I am republishing it here in case the Edmonton Journal subsequently removes the content. I believe doing so constitutes fair use as this entire blog is dedicated to commentary on the event described in the article.

This news article was posted to the online edition of the Edmonton Journal on April 20, 2011. You can read it there by following this link. I am republishing it here in case the Edmonton Journal subsequently removes the content. I believe doing so constitutes fair use as this entire blog is dedicated to commentary on the event described in the article.