Canada: Highway worker struck and killed by SUV on Hwy. 174

Police were busy Thursday afternoon reconstructing what they believe was the path an SUV took after slamming into a highway maintenance worker along Hwy 174, killing him. The worker died in hospital from injuries suffered while working on the median of one of the city's busiest stretches of road just east of Montreal Rd., Acting Duty Insp. Carl Cartright said.

Police wouldn't release the identity of the man, but officials said the worker was not employed by the City. "Our knowledge is the worker was doing his job -- I believe cleaning and working alongside the highway when he was struck," Cartright said. The collision occurred at 12:55 p.m.

Police said the man was thrown several metres after being struck and had no vital signs when two off-duty paramedics responded to the scene. Ottawa Paramedic Service spokesman J.P. Trottier said the paramedics initiated CPR to no avail. The man was taken by ambulance to Montfort Hospital. Paramedics said firefighters needed to extricate the driver of the SUV. The vehicle ended up in the highway's median, its front bumper damaged and completely detached from the car, the hood crumpled in. Debris including dirt and what looked like pieces of the SUV spilled into the highway.

The driver was listed in serious but stable condition at Ottawa Hospital's Civic campus. He sustained injuries to his head, face and back, Trottier said.

Ministry of Labour spokesman William Lin said an inspector was sent to investigate the accident.

Police closed the highway in both directions between Blair Rd. and Jeanne D'Arc Blvd. for several hours.

"We have a number of witnesses we are interviewing," Cartright said, adding it was too early to determine if any charges will be laid. Police continued their investigation into the evening.

While it's not clear in this case if speed was a factor, police have been trying to combat highway construction zone speeders for years. Between 2007 and 2011, there were 981 reported collisions in Ottawa construction zones, resulting in 212 injuries, nine of them serious.

HIGH-SPEED CHASE

While police had the highway closed to investigate the collision, a vehicle drove into the closed section and lead police on a brief, high-speed chase. The driver of a red Ford Focus continued to drive through the closed portion of the highway, with a police car in pursuit, but eventually pulled over. The driver was later arrested on Montreal Rd. and remained in custody