‘Speed was a factor,' say police, in collision that killed a motorcyclist in north Etobicoke on Tuesday evening

CTV News

a day ago

A motorcyclist has died after being pinned under a bus following a June 10 collision near Kipling Avenue and Steeles Avenue West. (Jacob Estrin/CTV News Toronto)
later 'Speed was a factor,' say police, in a collision that killed a man operating motorcycle early Tuesday evening in north Etobicoke.
The crash happened in the Rexdale neighbourhood, near Kipling Avenue and Steeles Avenue West.
Speaking to the media at the scene, Acting Insp. Baheer Sarvanandan, of Toronto Police Service, said around 7 p.m. this evening they received multiple calls about a motorcycle that had been involved in a collision that involved another vehicle and a TTC bus.
He said a 29-year-old man operating a motorcycle was travelling northbound on Kipling, near the intersection of Steeles, when he 'became separated' from his vehicle and 'ended up underneath the bus that was traveling northbound on the curb lane.'
'(It) still continued to with the momentum, proceeded into the intersection, and collided with another vehicle traveling eastbound,' said Sarvanandan, who added that despite the life-saving efforts of paramedics, firefighters, and police officers, the motorcyclist was pronounced dead.
He said the motorcycle was travelling at a high rate of speed and was carried well over 200 metres from the initial crash site.
The motorcyclist was freed from underneath the bus and rushed to a trauma centre in life-threatening condition, but succumbed to his injuries, they said in a post on social media.
Paramedics previously told CTV News Toronto that they transported a man in his 40s to a trauma centre.
No one on the bus was injured, however the driver is traumatized, Sarvanandan said.
Fatal motorcycle crash June 10 Kipling/Steeles
Police say speed was a factor in a collision that killed a motorcyclist in north Etobicoke on June 10. (Jacob Estrin/CTV News Toronto)
People who witnessed the collision say speeding has long been a concern in the area.
'Before the crash happened, we heard motorcycles zooming up and down,' one person told CTV News Toronto.
'We heard a screech and our coach came and told us there was a guy on the ground and his bike was on the other side of the intersection.'
Another witness said they heard a 'loud bang.'
'My dad came and said a bike was on one side and the guy was on the other. Prior to that I heard bikes zooming up and down,' they said.
'Many, many months back, if it's the same person, I had spoken to him. He always did stunts on this road. I told him 'Don't do it.' He said he loves it. I said 'Think about your parents'.'
Acting Insp. Baheer Sarvanandan
Acting Insp. Baheer Sarvanandan speaks to reports at the scene of a fatal collisin involving a motorcycle on June 10 in north Etobicoke.
Currently, collision reconstructionists are on scene and will be on hand for some time to figure out what happened
'But I can tell you this is the 19th traffic fatality. And if you compare that to a shooting, 15 shooting homicides (have) happened (so far this year),' Sarvanandan noted.
'So road safety is still a priority. It's important that (if) someone, you know, decides to speed or not be careful, you know, we take that seriously.'
Steeles remains closed westbound at Islington Avenue and Kipling is closed northbound at Islington and Kidron Valley Drive as police investigate.
Anyone with further information is asked to contact Traffic Services at 416-808-1900 or Crime Stoppers anonymously.