LaSalle residents are calling on the town to make a busy intersection safer after a vehicle struck a crossing cyclist, sending the teen to hospital with serious injuries.
"We heard the impact,” recalls Dani Hughes, who lives right next to Malden Road near Reaume Road. “We're used to hearing two cars crash and thought that's what it was again, but as soon as we peeked around the back yard, we saw the boy's body lying on the bike path here and came running."
The incident happened at 5:00 p.m. Monday. A teenaged boy was crossing Malden Road on his bike at painted crossing lines when police say a white SUV turned left off Reaume, striking the cyclist. Witnesses say the teenager came to rest 20 to 30 feet from the point of impact.
"I didn't know if he was alive, says Hughes. “It was just horrible."
The 15-year-old victim -- who police aren't naming -- was transported to a London hospital, where he's in serious, but stable condition.
Police have not laid any charges and are still investigating the collision.
"We just want to come up with appropriate answers to how this happened and how it can be prevented," says Sr. Const. Terry Seguin of LaSalle Police.
Hughes says she's sent countless letters and emails to the town about making the busy intersection safer by adding a lit crosswalk or signalized lights.
"The traffic just flies by and nobody seems to care, says Hughes.” I said yesterday afternoon, something terrible is going to happen at this corner before they do something and literally, an hour later… bam."
LaSalle Mayor Marc Bondy says the town is currently doing an environmental assessment of Malden Road. An active transportation master plan is also in the works but Bondy admits it will take time.
"We can't just do a crosswalk and say ‘let's put one at Reaume,’” Bondy explains. “We’ve got to look at it holistically, and say if we put one there, where are these people walking or cycling and where else should be put one?"
Bondy tells CTV News in the meantime police have also stepped up enforcement in the area, handing out more tickets to deter speeding. He says drivers need to slow down or face the consequences.
The town is also looking at scheduling public consultation sessions in the fall of 2019 before town staff makes it final recommendation for both the Malden Road environmental assessment and the active transportation master plan.
"I don’t what it's going to take. Something has to be done for the safety of our citizens sooner rather than later,” Hughes says. “I know it's a process. But something has to be done."
