Driver of e-bike in critical condition following Barrhaven crash

A young man is fighting for his life in hospital after his e-bike collided with a commercial van in Barrhaven where traffic lights were out. CTV’s Tyler Fleming

A man in his 20s driving an e-bike was critically hurt following a crash in Barrhaven Tuesday morning.

Emergency responders were called to the intersection of Strandherd Drive and Greenbank Road just after 9:30 a.m. for a crash involving a motorcycle-style e-bike and a commercial refrigerated cube van.

A paramedic spokesperson said the man was taken to the hospital in critical condition. According to police, the driver of the e-bike remains in hospital with life-threatening injuries.

“Our thoughts are with everyone affected by this collision, and the others that have occurred in the last few days. Incidents like this are a difficult reminder of the importance of staying mindful of safety every day, whether we are travelling on roads, pathways, or sidewalks,” Ottawa police said in a news release.

Ottawa police Insp. Dave Merkel reiterated those comments, advising drivers to be cautious as the weather warms up.

“Because there’s warmer weather and we’re coming into the summer, there’s more vulnerable users of the roadway out there, which would include e-bikes, bicycles, and motorcycles,” Merkel said.

A man in his 50s who was driving an e-scooter died following a collision in the Carlingwood Area on Sunday. Two people were also seriously injured in a crash in Ottawa’s south end on Monday.

Ottawa police closed Standherd Drive between Riocan Avenue and Jockvale Road and have closed Greenbank Road between Marketplace Avenue and Berrigan Drive/Wessex Road for the investigation.

Roads reopened at around 3:40 p.m.

Anyone who witnessed the collision or may have dashcam footage of this incident and has not yet spoken to the police is asked to contact the Ottawa Police Service Fatal Collision Investigation Unit at 613-236-1222, extension 2345.

Anonymous tips can be submitted by calling Crime Stoppers toll-free at 1-800-222-8477 or at crimestoppers.ca.

Power out at time of crash

Hydro Ottawa reported a power outage affecting more than 6,000 customers in Barrhaven around the time of the crash.

The outage was reported on Hydro Ottawa’s social media accounts at around 9:20 a.m. The posts indicating power had been restored were posted at around 9:40 a.m.

During power outages, intersections with traffic lights are treated as four-way stops when the lights are not working.

Ottawa police could not confirm whether the power outage contributed to the crash, but said investigators will consider all possible contributing factors.

With files from CTV News Ottawa’s Tyler Fleming.