‘His life is forever changed’: Police officer injured in off-duty crash faces long recovery

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This article was published 09/07/2023 (835 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A Winnipeg police officer, who suffered major injuries when he was hit by an alleged impaired driver, faces a long recovery from the off-duty crash, which was the second recent tragedy for his family.

Dan Léveillé, 50, was on his way to work when a minivan turned into the path of his motorcycle at Talbot Avenue and Levis Street in Elmwood on June 14.

The collision happened about eight months after his cousin’s husband, Denis L’Heureux, died in a crash while riding a motorcycle northeast of Steinbach.

“This was another preventable situation,” said Lise Léveillé, L’Heureux’s widow and Dan’s cousin.

She said the loss of her husband and last month’s collision affect “every moment” of the family’s lives.

After suffering life-altering injuries, Dan faces a months-long stay in hospital, physiotherapy and other long-term needs, said Lise.

“His life is forever changed, and so is theirs,” she said, referring to her cousin, his wife and the couple’s daughter. “This recuperation will take months, and years for other aspects. The road ahead is so unknown and so long. He basically got sentenced.”

The longtime officer has undergone several hours-long surgeries for his injuries, which included multiple fractures.

The circumstances of the crash and the accused’s history — he had impaired driving convictions and had been banned from driving — have raised a number of questions and frustrations for Lise and family members.

Their primary focus is Dan’s recovery and long-term support for his family, said Lise.

More than $26,000 has been raised to help cover expenses associated with Dan’s care and future needs.

Lise said his home may need to be adapted to accommodate him when he is mobile and released from hospital.

The family is grateful for the support of the policing community, friends and the public.

“They rallied right away for (Dan’s wife) and the family,” Lise said of the Winnipeg Police Service.

Dan is an avid outdoorsman who enjoys camping and fishing. He also spends time supporting local charities, his cousin said.

Less than two weeks before the crash, they took part in an autism ride which raises funds for services at St. Amant Centre.

The second collision has made Lise even more determined to raise awareness about motorcyclist safety and campaign for changes to make roads safer for everyone.

In both incidents, neither rider was at fault, she said.

Her husband died Sept. 24 when a group of riders lost control and went down on a mud-covered section of Provincial Road 311.

L’Heureux, who was leading the group, was struck by an oncoming pickup truck.

The mud, which became slippery after rainfall and looked like asphalt, was from farm vehicles or equipment, said Lise, who was among the riders who lost control and slid.

The Crown and RCMP informed her last month that charges were not pursued because the road is used by multiple farm operators and there wasn’t enough evidence to prove who had left the mud on the road.

Since the crash, Lise and fellow motorcyclists have focused on prevention.

“It’s not a question of moving on because my loss is just too huge to forget,” she said. “I want to make a change for others.”

Lise and the Coalition of Manitoba Motorcycle Groups want the province to require people to post warning signs when mud or debris, for which they are responsible, pose a danger to road users.

They also want effective enforcement and hefty fines for people who fail to clear debris in a timely manner.

The province, the coalition and other agencies are setting up a committee to study the issue and recommend possible safety measures to prevent similar collisions.

Seventeen people died in motorcycle-related collisions from 2019 and 2022, Manitoba Public Insurance said.

Lise’s motorcycle was repaired and recently returned to her. She has been on a few short rides, but she isn’t sure about whether she will continue riding, which was once her passion.

“Personally, I struggle with a lot of guilt through the loss of Denis and Dan’s state — emotionally and physically — and all that,” she said. “I feel like I should park it.”

Meanwhile, the suspect in the collision that left Dan with life-changing injuries is due back in court July 14.

Braedon Lee Gordon, 22, is on an in-custody docket for suspects who do not yet have a bail plan.

He was charged with four offences, including driving while impaired and dangerous driving causing bodily harm.

In the past two years, Gordon was convicted twice for drunk driving, and he had pleaded guilty to breaches of court orders, court records show.

He was prohibited from driving when the June collision occurred.

The WPS reported there were 336 impaired driving offences last year, which was about 10 per cent lower than the five-year average

In 2019, Gordon was sentenced to 19 months in jail for two assaults and several breaches.

Gordon was present when two gang members — Anthony Cromastey and Rodney Kirton — killed each other in a shootout at Johnny G’s restaurant on Main Street in November 2019.

Gordon was charged with assault causing bodily harm, after surveillance video showed him kicking and stomping on Kirton’s head seven times after he had been shot.

— with files from Katie May

chris.kitching@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @chriskitching