Pedestrian struck and killed near Lawrence and McCowan Rd in Scarborough

A man is dead after he was struck by a vehicle while crossing the street in Scarborough early Sunday morning.

Police say that the victim was crossing Lawrence Avenue midblock near McCowan Road at around 1:30 a.m. when he was hit by a westbound vehicle.

The man was rushed to hospital but died while en route. The driver of the vehicle, meanwhile, remained on scene and is cooperating with the police investigation.

“He (the victim) was approximately 50 metres to the west of where we are standing right now so he was very close to the intersection when he was struck,” Insp. Jim Gotell told CP24 at the scene. “Toronto police urge all pedestrians when they are crossing the street to do so at a controlled intersection where there is a crosswalk and a light. Lawrence Avenue in this area is six lanes across and especially with somebody trying to cross the street at night it might be very difficult to see them.”

Gotell said that police conducted an extensive investigation at the scene, including a full reconstruction of the accident.

Lawrence Avenue was closed in both directions between Barrymore and McCowan roads but reopened shortly after 7 a.m.

Gotell said that it remains unclear where the victim was coming from or where he was headed.

Speaking with reporters about the incident at an unrelated event on Sunday morning, Mayor John Tory said that he is “heartbroken” by the number of pedestrians that have been killed on city streets this year.

He said that while the city is doings its part through the redesign of some intersections and the lowering of speed limits, drivers also have to slow down and make an effort to keep an eye oout for people who may be crossing the street.

“We are putting in double the number of red light cameras, we are redesigning intersections, we have changed hundreds of speed limits but I would say that maybe as a New Year’s resolution drivers across the city should decide that they are going to slow down and that they are going to keep an eye out for people who might be crossing the street, especially on some of these wide road where this tragedy happened last night,” he said. “We all have to look out for each other quite frankly.”

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