Two-vehicle crash kills Vancouver cab driver; alcohol believed to be factor
Posted December 29, 2019 7:28 am.
Last Updated December 29, 2019 11:01 am.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – Speed and alcohol are believed to be factors in a Sunday morning crash in Vancouver that killed a taxi driver.
Police say it appears the Yellow Cab was t-boned by a car2go smart car that had run a red light at 1st Avenue and Renfrew Street around 3:30 a.m.
UPDATE: @VancouverPD say the crash involved a car2go smart car and Yellow Cab, killing the taxi driver. Speed and alcohol believed to be factors. It appears the driver of the car2go (who may have evaded officers at a roadblock) t-boned the taxi after running a red light.
— Monika Gul (@MonikaGul) December 29, 2019
The force of the collision sent the cab into a nearby Royal Bank, damaging the building.
Both drivers were taken to the hospital where the 28-year-old cab driver was pronounced dead.
The car2go driver, in his 20s, remains in hospital with serious injuries. Two passengers in the taxi were also taken to hospital but with non-life-threatening injuries.
Constable Steve Addision says police think the car2go driver may have evaded a roadblock earlier in the night.
“Something like this is tragic anytime that it happens, let alone the holiday season two days before New Years,” Addison says.
B.C.’s police watchdog has been notified because officers may have interacted with the car2go driver before the crash.
The Vancouver Police Department says the crash marks the city’s 14th traffic-related fatality this year.
“My heart goes out to the family of the taxi driver that was just doing his job in the early morning and was sadly killed in the collision,” Addison adds, calling the crash sad and tragic.
The collision caused the intersection to close for several hours but has since reopened.
#VanTraffic The intersection at 1st Ave and Renfrew Street has reopened following this morning’s fatal collision. VPD thanks drivers for their patience while the roads were closed.
— Vancouver Police (@VancouverPD) December 29, 2019
If you have information about the crash contact the VPD Collison Investigation Unit at 604-717-3012.
