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Pedestrian killed in Christmas Eve crash

Man is third pedestrian killed this week by vehicles

By: Alex Paterson

Posted: 12/24/2010 10:40 AM | Last Modified: 12/24/2010 10:35 PM | Updates

TREVOR HAGAN / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Enlarge Image

Police said a 53-year-old woman was crossing McPhillips north at Pacific Avenue on a green light shortly after 5 p.m. when she was struck by a white van making a right-hand turn north onto McPhillips.

WINNIPEG - A 66-year-old man was killed Christmas Eve when he was struck by a car in northwest Winnipeg – the second pedestrian killed by a vehicle in the city in as many days.

Emergency officials were called to Fife Street between Mapleglen and Inkster around 5:40 p.m., where they found a 66-year-old man had been struck by a vehicle. The man was transported to hospital in critical condition and later succumbed to his injuries.

Collisions involving pedestrians

Winnipeg police released these numbers today of vehicle-pedestrian collisions:

2010 (to date), 22 collisions, 14 fatal

2009, 13 collisions, 4 fatal

2008 , 9 collisions, 5 fatal

2007, 25 collisions, 13 fatal

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Police ask anyone who witnessed the collision to call 986-6271.

The death comes just a day after a hit-and-run that claimed the life of a 53-year-old woman Thursday, adding to a deadly spike in the number of pedestrian fatalities on Winnipeg streets.

Fourteen pedestrians have been killed by motor vehicles in 2010 -- more than the total deaths in the past two years combined. According to police data, there have been 22 collisions in 2010, compared to 13 the year before, and nine in 2008.

In Thursday's crash the victim, whose identity has not been made public, was crossing McPhillips Street north at Pacific Avenue on a green light shortly after 5 p.m. when she was struck by a van making a right-hand turn north onto the major artery. She was taken to hospital in critical condition and later died of her injuries.

Witnesses reported the van failed to stop after striking the woman, and continued heading north on McPhillips. Police have arrested a 34-year-old man who has been charged with failing to remain at the scene of an accident causing death and criminal negligence causing death.

Thursday’s fatality wasn’t even the only hit-and-run of the day. Earlier that morning, a passerby found an injured woman lying on the street at River Avenue and Osborne Street at about 3:15 a.m., and called for medical assistance, police spokesman Const. Jason Michalyshen said. The woman was taken to hospital in stable condition.

Earlier this week Gittel Goertzen, 67, died after being struck by a school bus while she was crossing Portage Avenue at Sherbrook Street.

The week of hit-and-runs began Sunday at about 1:30 p.m. when a 48-year-old man was injured by a silver sedan while lifting a one-year-old baby from his vehicle on Young Street.

apaterson@freepress.mb.ca