A 70-year-old Burnaby man is in hospital after he was hit by a car while crossing Oakland Street early this morning.
The pedestrian was crossing the street around 6:30 a.m. when a car travelling down Oakland Street hit him, causing serious injuries, said Cpl. Dave Reid of the Burnaby RCMP.
“There’s no specific crosswalk area there, but he was crossing,” Reid told the NOW
According to Reid, after a preliminary investigation, it appears the sun and low clouds obscured the driver’s vision and prevented him from seeing the pedestrian until it was too late.
“It’s purely accidental. The pedestrian probably shouldn’t have been where he was at the time, but that’s still to be determined,” he added.
The driver sustained minor injuries and was taken to Burnaby General. Police accompanied him and are taking his statement at this time, Reid said.
The pedestrian, however, was taken to Royal Columbian Hospital, where he remains with life-threatening injuries.
“(We) don’t know if he’s going to make it just yet, but we haven’t heard anything back from the hospital, so we’re waiting to hear,” Reid said.
Police closed Oakland Street between Elgin and Dufferin avenues following the accident, and investigators are still on scene. They will remain on scene until the hospital provides an update on the pedestrian’s condition, Reid said.
“They’re doing an initial investigation, but they’re also waiting to hear from the hospital as to the extent of the injuries and whether or not he’s going to survive. If he does not survive, then the investigation is a little more in-depth,” he added.
The earliest the road could be re-opened is noon, Reid said.
