A man in his 30s has been charged after a cyclist was fatally struck by a vehicle and a light pole as she walked her bicycle on a Vaughan sidewalk.
Police said a man and woman were walking their bikes along Dufferin Avenue, just north of Steeles Avenue, at approximately 6 p.m. on Monday.
As the pair walked along the sidewalk, a black, southbound Mercedes-Benz entered the intersection at Glen Shields Avenue, and collided with a black Hyundai that was making a left turn. Police said the Mercedes continued forward and struck the pedestrians before crashing into a light pole.
The light pole then fell over, pinning the female pedestrian to the ground. Though bystanders were able to lift up the pole, and one person tried to perform CPR, the 47-year-old Richmond Hill woman succumbed to her injuries at the scene. The second pedestrian, a 55-year-old man from Richmond Hill, was rushed to hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.
"They were just waiting for the signal," a woman who lives in the area told CTV Toronto. "Very, very sad."
Another said he didn't see the crash, but heard it.
"You will never forget that sound -- metal on metal, the rolling -- we knew something catastrophic had happened here."
Police said the occupants of both vehicles suffered minor injuries.
On Tuesday, officers said the driver of the Mercedes has been charged. Olumide Banjo, 34, has been charged with the dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing death and causing bodily harm.
The investigation is ongoing, and anyone with more information is asked to contact York Regional Police at 1-866-876-5423, ext. 7704, or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS).
