A life-long resident of Squamish died early Sunday (Feb. 7) morning when a bus ran over him as he was lying on Highway 99 100 metres north of Garibaldi Way.
Alexander Larsen was spotted on the slow, northbound lane of the highway at approximately 4:30 a.m. Sunday morning.
Three RCMP units responded to three calls of a man lying on the road, and police first spotted him when one of the cruisers passed a Whistler BC Transit bus. The RCMP member immediately engaged his lights and sirens just as the bus ran over 26-year-old Larsen.
Larsen was taken to Squamish General Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Cpl. Dave Ritchie said the bus driver is not considered at fault, and in fact a police vehicle almost ran over Larsen itself.
"[It was] a dark, damp evening. Dark clothing on the pedestrian that was down laying on the road when the police officer saw him. Actually the police vehicle was just about to go into that lane after he'd overtaken the bus and he swerved back," said Ritchie.
"We also examined and seized the box out of the [police] car just to ensure there was no contact with the pedestrian."
Ritchie said police couldn't determine whether Larsen was injured before he was run over, and they don't know how Larsen ended up on the highway.
"We're still trying to determine that, there's an autopsy today [Monday] that we'll be tending," he said. "We'll try and track his movement."
Ritchie said although the RCMP is grateful witnesses called police with the information, drivers could've done more to protect Larsen.
"We understand why people don't want to interact with someone who may be drunk or laying on a road and confrontational, but at least people would stop and use their four-way flashers and call 911 and try and protect the scene a bit so these things don't occur," he said.
"It was a long, clear, straight section of road. I don't want to make [the witnesses] feel too bad, but that would've helped in that situation."
The father of two children aged four months and five years old, had joined Shellye Buck, for her birthday party at the Grizzly Pub, said Buck. She said she last saw him just a few hours before he was seen on the highway.
An Alexander Larsen memorial Facebook page was launched Sunday, and numerous locals have already posted condolences and fond personal anecdotes remembering Larsen's humour.
"You'd always spot me out and give me a wave with a big smile on your face," stated one post. "As I passed by I could see that smile in my rearview mirror."
Similar posts recounted Larsen's infectious smile."The guy that always had a smile on his face, also the one that would always put a smile on your face even if you were having a bad day. You will be missed greatly."
Ritchie said Larsen's death shouldn't be attributed to increased Olympic traffic since it was highly unusual, but the RCMP does anticipate more accidents with heightened vehicle volume during the Games.
"There was another incident with a bus and a police car at another intersection [this weekend] where the bus backed up into a police car," he said. "It's just the nature of the beast with buses running every seven minutes."
And there was another accident on Highway 99 Sunday morning involving a single vehicle, which overturned while driving on the newly-covered train track portion of Porteau Cove. Two passengers sustained only minor injuries, said Ritchie, and fines are considered for dangerous driving since the driver was going in excess of the posted 50 km per hour.
