- TSB investigation could take months
- Bus didn’t stop for flashing safety barrier
- Unknown if driver had medical condition
OTTAWA – David Woodard, a 46-year-old father of three, has been identified as the driver of an Ottawa city bus that crashed into a train Wednesday killing six people, including Woodard himself.
Craig Watson, president of the amalgamated transit union local 279, said Woodard, was also known as Brian, had been with OC Transpo for just under ten years.
“A great guy, liked by all of his colleagues, would do anything for anybody, just one of the really nice guys,” said Watson.
Watson said Woodard had been driving that section of the roadway for years, but as is customary four times a year, his route had changed somewhat in September.
Watson said the union still doesn’t know many details about what happened but there has to be a thorough investigation by the Transportation Safety Board.
“I was out there with some of the operators that were on the scene and I mean, just ourselves we came up with such a huge list of things it could have been,” he said.
“Speculation right now would be wrong. It’s a tragic event and we don’t want to guess on what happened.”
He said he wasn’t aware if Woodard had a medical condition. Watson said the drive would have been Woodard’s regular route, and he worked both mornings and afternoons.
Woodard was also driving a double-decker bus, a new model built in Scotland that has been in use in the city for about a year. “This is not something we’ve had a problem with,” Watson said.
A woman who identified herself as Woodard’s mother also confirmed he was the driver.
“It’s my son,” the woman said, when reached by phone. “I’m not answering any questions.”
Passengers aboard the bus say they screamed at Woodard to stop moments before the crash Wednesday morning.
Ottawa police say three of the six victims have been positively identified, but aren’t confirming or releasing the names until the families have been notified.
The OC Transpo bus 76 plowed past a flashing signal barrier into Via Train 51 on the Ottawa-Toronto corridor.
Witnesses said Woodard didn’t stop despite the barrier.
“Boom! It went into the train like that,” said Pascal Lolgis. “He didn’t stop. He must have lost his brakes. Or he had an … attack or whatever.
A broken safety barrier could be seen under the bus.
More than 30 people were rushed to hospital, including eight who were listed in critical condition.
“I heard someone yelling so I looked up from my phone and you could see the train coming,” said a young woman who wished to remain anonymous. She was sitting on the second level of the bus at the time of the crash.
She said the impact ripped off the first two rows of seats in front of her; the train then derailed further down the tracks.
“A lot of people started panicking… I went downstairs hoping that the first aid kit would still be behind the bus driver but it wasn’t there,” she said.
The crash happened just east of Fallowfield train station near Woodroffe Ave., in the Ottawa suburb of Barrhaven at 8:48 a.m. EDT.
The train tracks in the area cross both a major city street and a transit line reserved for buses only. The bus was on a dedicated transit line that runs parallel to a busy commuter artery, about 10 kilometres west of Parliament Hill.
On Wednesday morning, the city of Ottawa opened the Nepean Sportsplex for families affected by the crash.
In a late evening press release the Department of Transportation said the city of Ottawa decided against an Infrastructure Canada funded improvement to the grade crossing in 2005.
A total of $40 million was set aside from all levels of government to build an underpass, however the soil proved challenging and would have inflated the costs dramatically, so the plan was shelved.
The crossing stayed at grade level with a few added safety precautions, such as extra lights and gates.
The department said the Ottawa crossing met all safety requirements.
Transport proposes crossing regulations that clarify responsibilities, outline detailed safety standards and promote safety.
The department has appointed a minister’s observer to monitor the investigation on behalf of Transport Minister Lisa Riatt.
READ MORE: Safety plans for Ottawa rail crossing were shelved as area’s population grew
Dozens of people gathered on the tracks near the crash site Wednesday evening for a candlelight vigil.
Investigators from the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) were on the scene all day collecting information. Officials said data from the train’s recording device will be reviewed.
It’s still unknown what speed at which both the train and bus were travelling.
According to the TSB, there have been 257 accidents, over the past 10 years, across Canada involving passenger trains and vehicles at level crossings.
TSB officials said in 2012 there were 25 fatal crossing accidents, most typically involving pedestrians.
Wednesday’s crash is the largest fatality involving a bus and train in Ottawa.
-With files from Global News’ Irene Ogrodnik and Mairin Prentiss
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