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Ottawa police are searching for a pickup truck involved in a hit-and-run collision in Barrhaven that left an elementary school crossing guard with life-threatening injuries Monday morning.
Police said the crossing guard, a man in his 50s, was struck around 8:20 a.m. while on duty at Cedarview Road and Kennevale Drive in Barrhaven. The intersection is near Mary Honeywell Elementary School.
The driver fled the scene, police said. They’re looking for a dark-coloured Ford F-150 pickup truck “believed to be involved” in the incident.
Investigators are asking anyone who witnessed the collision or who may have dashcam footage of it to contact investigators.
A sign on Kennevale Drive in Barrhaven notifies people they’re entering a ‘traffic-calmed’ neighbourhood, just east of where the collision took place. (Jacob Taillefer Racine/CBC)
“Leaving the scene of a serious motor vehicle collision is a serious offence and we’re very interested in speaking to the driver,” Duty Insp. David Merkel told CBC.
According to the Ottawa Safety Council, which recruits and trains adult crossing guards for local school boards, Monday is School Crossing Guard Day.
“Our thoughts are with the individual and their family during this incredibly difficult time. Our immediate focus is on supporting them, as well as [affected] staff and the school community,” the safety council said in a social media post.
Barrhaven West Coun. David Hill says he hopes crossing guards know how much they’re valued. (CBC)
Barrhaven West Coun. David Hill called the incident is “really traumatic,” and said his wife works in the area and knows the injured crossing guard.
“We want to make sure that the traffic guards know how much we care about them and value them and what they do,” he told CBC.
“And we’re really pulling for our traffic guard here to do well.”