Two more Barrie pedestrians were struck by vehicles last night, one suffering life-threatening injuries, following three such collisions Wednesday.
“In just over 36 hours, we’ve had five collisions involving pedestrians. This is unprecedented in our city,” said Barrie police communications coordinator Peter Leon.
“We haven’t had a stretch like this. People on the roadway and cars can be a deadly combination," he added.
At 12:35 a.m. Friday on Bayfield Street, police said a northbound vehicle struck a pedestrian who is believed to have stepped out onto the road from the east side of the street, across from the Bayfield Mall.
A 31-year-old Barrie woman was taken to hospital and later transported to a Toronto-area trauma centre where she is being treated for life-threatening injuries, according to police.
“It’s a time when there are very few people on the road,” Leon said. “It would appear from the investigation that for reasons unknown the female pedestrian just stepped onto the roadway.”
Bayfield Street was closed between Coulter Street and Ferris Lane until just after 5:30 a.m. this morning to allow the Barrie police traffic unit to conduct the on-scene collision investigation.
At 6:50 p.m. on Thursday, police said a 58-year-old man was struck by an eastbound vehicle on Wellington Street East and Peel Street.
The pedestrian was transported to a local hospital where he was treated for a serious, non-life-threatening injury “but it could be life-altering,” Leon said.
Wellington Street East was closed until approximately 10:30 p.m. last night to allow the traffic unit to investigate this collision.
“At this time of year, we’re not used to seeing this many collisions,” Leon said. “When you have collisions that occur in the winter months, usually we’ve got snow on the edges of the road that prevent people from stepping over and crossing the road at unsafe locations.
“These are well-lit areas. The lighting in the city is second to none. It’s very bright, the majority of it now is LEDs,” he added. “It leaves you without words to try to describe why this is happening.”
In both of these collisions, the Barrie police traffic unit is appealing for witnesses and dash-cam video footage that may assist police with these investigations. Call 705-725-7025 and ask to speak with the traffic unit.
Leon said charges had not been laid in either collision, but the investigations are ongoing.
Police are still looking at the circumstances of the two most recent collisions.
“There was some drizzling (rain) conditions for the Wellington crash, that could certainly play a part,” Leon said, who also offered pedestrians some advice.
“Wear a reflective vest if sharing the road with motor vehicles,” he said. “Dark-coloured clothing on a foggy night could be dangerous.”
There were three separate collisions Wednesday evening in Barrie that resulted in people suffering non-life-threatening injuries while they crossed the street.
The first occurred at about 6:20 p.m., at the corner of Mapleview Drive West and Barrieview Drive, involving a teenage pedestrian struck by a pickup truck making a left turn at the south-end intersection. The teen was taken to the hospital, where she was treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
A second incident took place on Bayfield Street, north of Livingstone Street, shortly after 6 p.m. and was reported to Barrie police about 30 minutes later.
Police say a 15-year-old male was crossing Bayfield Street when he was struck by a northbound Dodge Ram that failed to remain at the scene. The teen sustained non-life-threatening injuries as a result of the collision. He was transported to a local hospital where he was treated for minor abrasions and lower-body injuries.
A third incident, which occurred in northwest Barrie, was reported to police at 7:35 p.m. Wednesday.
Leon has said that although it involved a motor vehicle and a person receiving an injury, it is not an incident that police are able to share any details on. The incident was isolated, has been thoroughly investigated and there is no risk to public safety, Leon said.
No charges have been laid in any of the three Wednesday collisions, police said.
