A 36-year-old man struck by a van while using a crossing on Hillside Ave Monday afternoon has died as a result of his injuries.
The collision occurred just before 6 pm on Hillside Avenue at Higgins Street. Officers say the male pedestrian was suffering from life-threatening injuries when they arrived. He was transported to hospital where he succumbed from his injuries.
The BC Coroners Service has confirmed the identity of the man. He is Jamie Scott McMillan, aged 36, of Victoria.
Major Crime Detectives has taken over the investigation. They say the driver of the vehicle is cooperating with investigators and say it is too early to say if they will be recommending charges against the driver.
Several witnesses say the victim was using a crosswalk at the time he was hit.
Police are asking anyone that witnessed the collision to call their non-emergency line at 250-995-7654.
Residents in the neighbourhood have been concerned about this crosswalk for a very long time – so much so, an online petition was launched five months ago, calling on the City of Victoria to improve the safety of the 4-lane crosswalk, by installing warning signal lights at and implementing other safety features.
“The existing crosswalk at Hillside Ave. and Higgins St. is inadequate and poses a hazard to pedestrians. Hillside Ave. is a four-lane thoroughfare and a high traffic area, both for cars and pedestrians,” reads the petition.
“Two elementary schools, the Cridge Centre for the Family, two bus stops, apartment buildings and a townhouse complex all lie within a block of the crossing. In the warmer months, local families flock to the playground and ballpark, also accessed via the crosswalk. This particular locale is a nexus for children and the elderly in particular, both vulnerable segments of the general population. Proximity to the major intersection at Hillside Ave. and Cook St. gives drivers little reason to slow down: westbound drivers on Hillside approaching the intersection are often more concerned with “making the light” than looking out for pedestrians.”
According to the petition, on March 20, council member and neighbourhood liaison Marianne Alto, informed Charles Curry, the creator of the petition, the City of Victoria Council approved a new system for evaluating installation and upgrade of crosswalks in the City.
The city-wide priority ranking system was implemented for crosswalk updates, and the crosswalk at Hillside and Higgins was ranked 4th out of the 33 crossings earmarked for upgrades in the revised Budget.
The city set aside $70,000 for this particular crosswalk and an overhead flashing beacon system would be added, enhancing the current overhead signs with lighting.
To date, there have been no significant improvements made to the crosswalk, according area resident, Carrie Crowley. She tells Victoria Buzz the only changes she has seen are “they dug up the pipeline and repainted the crosswalk lines but that is it.”
“It is a major road and is used by children attending two schools and two parks directly in the area. A petition headed by a parent of Elizabeth Buckley school was initiated and we received a response from counsellor Marianne Alto in March that the crosswalk has been rated #4 on the city list to be equipped with overhead lights. We fear for our kids everyday using that crosswalk,” states Crowley.
Update: According to City of Victoria, the crosswalk is scheduled to be updated in October with a pedestrian-activated overhead flashing lights.
