The man killed after being struck by a vehicle in Calgary while standing in a grassy area along Edmonton Trail on Tuesday afternoon has been identified as 36-year-old Chris Muise.
The collision happened at about 2:45 p.m., along Edmonton Trail near 2 Avenue, police said.
Police said a 2020 Ford Ranger, driven by a 38-year-old man, was heading north on Edmonton Trail when it left the roadway and drove over the east curb.
The Ranger crossed over the sidewalk and across a grassy area, where Muise was standing. Muise was struck head-on by the truck and thrown “a significant distance,” Calgary police said in a news release Wednesday morning. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Investigators believe the driver may have been impaired.
Mourners, including Muise’s girlfriend of two years, Dawn Swimmer, gathered around a makeshift memorial at the scene on Wednesday afternoon.
When Swimmer learned that people had left flowers for Muise, she felt compelled to see them for herself.
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“I will always miss him, and I will always love him, and I’m glad that people were thinking about him and brought down the flowers,” Swimmer said at the scene. “At least I’m not grieving by myself.”
Swimmer said Muise was a dedicated partner to her and loved his job.
“He was so young. He had his life full of ambition, and he was really passionate about things that he cared about.”
In an emailed statement, Pattison Outdoor, the company Muise worked for, said staff were heartbroken to hear of the loss of their beloved coworker.
“All of us at Pattison Outdoor are devastated and saddened by Chris’s sudden and tragic passing,” Prairie region vice-president and general manager Nicoletta McDonald said.
“Chris was a valued friend, colleague and member of our family.
“Our thoughts are with his father, who is also part of our Pattison family, and who worked alongside his son; his mother, siblings and for all of Chris’s friends and loved ones who are heartbroken by his loss.”
Swimmer spent the evening with Muise’s family. He also leaves behind an older brother, younger sister and parents who live in Airdrie.
Neighbour Emily Kveder said that she didn’t know Muise but wanted to put flowers out in his memory. She lives across the street from where he was hit and said her heart went out to his family.
“I woke up this morning feeling anxious and worried for him and his family, and it’s an example of how fleeting life can be,” Kveder said.
After Muise was struck, police said the driver of Ranger continued across the grassy area onto a turning area at the end of the cul-de-sac where he collided with another vehicle. The driver of that vehicle was not injured, according to police.
The driver was arrested at the crash site as part of an impaired driving investigation, police said.
The Calgary Police Service said the man was released with a provincial driving suspension. Police anticipate charges will be laid.
Anyone with information about the collision is asked to contact police at 403-266-1234. Anonymous tips can also be submitted to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online.
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