Peel Regional Police say a man has been arrested in connection with an alleged hit-and-run in Mississauga that killed a woman using a wheelchair on Friday.
Police said the incident occurred around 6:40 a.m. when 45-year-old Penny Cousard of Mississauga was using an electric wheelchair northbound on Dixie Road in the southbound bicycle lane.
Officers said she was struck by a vehicle near Dixie and Lakeshore roads. The vehicle, which police identified as a 2014 black Honda Civic, allegedly fled the scene.
In an update Saturday morning, police said the vehicle was recovered near Ogden Avenue and Lakeshore Road East in Mississauga.
Kenneth Buffan, 56, of Mississauga, has since been arrested and charged with failure to remain at the scene causing death and dangerous operation of a motor vehicle.
He was scheduled to appear in a Brampton court Saturday morning for a bail hearing.
Residents of a high-rise located just off of Dixie Road spoke to Global News on Friday about Cousard.
“She does seem like a really nice lady, she was friendly. She was nice, she kind of kept to herself,” said Breeann Smith, who lives in the unit next to Cousard.
“I did see her going up and down the same road when I came home from work. I did know she took that route, so when I heard about it, I kinda knew it was her,” she added.
Maureen Konnyu lives one floor above Cousard’s unit and said she was a friend. She said Cousard would use her mobility scooter to visit a plaza down the road — and would recognize her whenever she drove down Dixie Road.
Konnyu said she often saw Cousard using the scooter without a safety vest and, just after Christmas, she bought her one.
“I just gave her the vest and now she’s gone. That was supposed to save her life,” Konnyu said through tears.