Firefighter facing drunk driving, hit-and-run charges
Cyclist struck along McGee Side Road Tuesday afternoon
Kristy Nease, CBC News
Posted: Oct 13, 2012 2:17 PM ET
Last Updated: Oct 14, 2012 10:09 AM ET
An off-duty Ottawa volunteer firefighter is facing impaired driving charges after a hit-and-run collision with a cyclist last week.
It happened on Oct. 9 at about 4 p.m. on McGee Side Road, just west of William Mooney Road.
Const. Rob Kennedy of the west district said police aren't naming the suspect.
The case is being handed over to the collisions unit since the injuries sustained by the victim turned out to be worse than originally thought.
Kennedy confirmed alcohol was a factor in the crash.
The victim, a woman, was first taken to the Queensway Carleton Hospital, but was later transferred to he Ottawa Hospital's Civic campus intensive care unit. She suffered a critical head injury.
Victim's condition improved as of Saturday
By Saturday, a hospital spokeswoman said the cyclist was in fair condition with her vital signs nearly back to normal. She was conscious and alert, and remained in the intensive care unit.
Fire department spokesman Marc Messier said that a man working on a tractor spotted the injured cyclist in the ditch sometime after the crash. Another passerby called 911.
He said he couldn't comment further.
City spokeswoman Jocelyne Turner confirmed later Saturday that an off-duty volunteer Ottawa firefighter was involved in the incident.
Citing the ongoing police investigation, Turner said she couldn't provide more details.
The allegations were emailed to the CBC and the Ottawa Sun by a "concerned EMS worker."
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