Student suffers injuries after being struck by van near Merivale High School, police investigating incident
Posted Oct 17, 2023 09:52:17 AM.
Last Updated Oct 17, 2023 03:16:45 PM.
A Merivale High School student suffered serious injuries when he was struck by a vehicle near the school.
The boy was rushed to hospital after being hit by a van at the intersection of Merivale Road and Viewmount Drive on Monday, Oct. 16.
The teen’s injuries are not considered life-threatening.
In a post to X, Knoxdale-Merivale ward Councillor Sean Devine said the intersection where the teen was hit is extremely busy, with hundreds of students crossing it daily.
He goes on to say he will be speaking to staff and the school about what can be done to improve safety.
“Students from Merivale HS have been emailing me about this incident, offering their observations and solutions,” he said. “Some are telling me what it was like to see and hear this collision. I’m equal parts heartbroken by what they’ve witnessed but also inspired by their desire to act.”
Laine Johnson, city councillor for College Ward, said the intersection of Merivale Road and Viewmount Drive is one of many across the city posing risks for pedestrians’ safety.
“We have students who are trying to find gaps in traffic to jaywalk and we have congestion in transit around there that makes visibility difficult,” she said in an interview with CityNews Ottawa. “A lot of these long straight stretches that people can bomb down, it’s exceedingly dangerous and it’s only a matter of time before someone gets hurt.”
In a statement provided to CityNews Ottawa, the Ottawa Police Service (OPS) said it is investigating the incident and charges could be laid.
