A Winnipeg Transit driver has died after a crash on Main Street near Matheson Avenue on Tuesday evening.
Winnipeg police confirmed a man died in the crash, which happened around 6:10 p.m.
“Emergency personnel attended and located the victim, a 62-year-old male of Winnipeg. While he was crossing the street heading eastbound, he was struck by a vehicle heading northbound on Main Street,” said police.
The man was pronounced dead at the scene, said police, and the driver of the car that hit him stayed on scene.
James Van Gerwen of the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) confirmed it was a Winnipeg Transit driver who died.
“This has been a very hard situation for a lot of our drivers,” Van Gerwen said. “North Garage is a very small garage, everybody — you get to know them, you sign the same work out of North Garage because you live around this area.”
“Seeing somebody that you actually know who passed away just getting off of work is hard.”
Later Wednesday, Winnipeg Transit confirmed the man’s name was Tadeusz Pilozow, commonly known as Ted.
“He’s an older guy — he started in 2014 – but he’s a nice guy, he’s very friendly, easy-going, he has a great laugh,” ATU 1505 president Romeo Ignacio said.
“Everyone loves him and it’s a loss for everyone. A good friend, a colleague, I think he’s also a nice driver so a lot of people who took his bus will probably miss him.”
Pilozow had just finished his shift prior to the crash and was crossing Main Street on his way home when he was hit.
“It’s a busy intersection, especially during that time,” Ignacio said. “He was almost at the curb when he was struck by a vehicle.”
“He didn’t see the car coming and the car didn’t see him crossing the street. Apparently there was a truck in the middle lane that let (Pilozow) go, and then the car coming on this side didn’t see him.”
The crash site, which is across the street from the Transit North Garage, sported a cross with a Winnipeg Transit badge placed on top Wednesday morning.
Writing on the cross says, “Rest in peace my brother.”
“Our sympathies go out to the family and friends the operator left behind,” said Ignacio in a statement.
A Global News reporter at the scene Wednesday said Winnipeg Transit employees were parking their vehicles nearby, then “rushing across the road” to the depot. There is no crosswalk nearby.