A 15-year-old Squamish boy died less than a day after he was struck by a vehicle near a busy intersection on Highway 99 on the weekend.
Dean McCall was hit by a taxi near Mamquam Road on Saturday (April 21) at around 11:35 p.m., said Squamish RCMP Sgt. Wayne Pride. He suffered severe head injuries from the crash and was rushed to Squamish General Hospital before being airlifted to B.C. Children's Hospital. McCall passed away as a result of his injuries on Sunday (April 22) at 2:30 p.m.
The investigation is ongoing, Pride said. The 49-year-old taxi driver from Squamish remained at the scene and is co-operating with police, police said in a statement issued Tuesday (April 24). Speed, distracted driving or alcohol do not appear to be factors in this crash, RCMP reported.
The news has rocked the community, Pride said. An RCMP school liaison is set to offer grief counselling at schools.
"The family is devastated," he said.
Though McCall's family is grieving, they want to reach out to other young people, stated Sgt. Peter Thiessen, spokesperson for the Lower Mainland District RCMP.
"Dean's family wants youth and their parents to understand just how dangerous it is to ride along the highway at night," Thiessen wrote. "Using reflective gear, lights and a helmet and making sure to be aware of your surroundings, is essential to staying safe."
Police did not say whether McCall was wearing clothing that would be easily visible at this time of the mishap. If it's determined that he was not, "This tragic incident really points to the need for people to wear bright and reflective clothing when out walking or riding at night," said Bob Brant of the Squamish Trails Society, which has waged an information campaign on that front for the past several months.
After the tragic news broke, messages of support and condolence for McCall's family poured in on social media, including the Facebook group Dean McCall Memmorial Group.
A celebration of life for McCall is planned on Sunday (April 29) at 4 p.m. at Totem Hall. In lieu of flowers, his family has asked that donations be made in the name of Dean William McCall to B.C. Children's Hospital. Condolences to his family may be made to creatinglovingmemories.com.
- With files from David Burke, The Chief
