Police say the driver of a school bus is facing charges after a 22-year-old woman was struck and killed while walking in a crosswalk in Toronto, and the woman’s family lawyer says legal action has been launched against the driver and the bus company.
On Oct. 9, 2024, police said a young woman was struck by a school bus making a left-hand turn while crossing at the crosswalk at Kingston and Kingswood roads. She was rushed to hospital with life-threatening injuries and died a few days later.
The woman has been identified as 22-year-old Rachel Turner. Her parents, Susan and Leon Turner, told Global News the loss of their daughter is “really hard.”
“It’s horrible,” Susan said. “It blows up your whole world.”
“Getting married, and having a job and having kids. We’ve lost seeing all those things with her. It’s really hard to get up every day, but you have to; you have to just continue on in her honour.”
Leon said Rachel was on her way to work when she was hit about one block away from her home trying to catch the streetcar. He described her as very intelligent, creative, headstrong and fearless and having a massive heart.
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“Our family will never be the same,” Susan said, adding that Rachel had siblings. “We’re not complete without our children.”
Rachel had just graduated from Wilfrid Laurier University with a major in business administration. Leon said she wanted to get into marketing and travel more after doing a six-month trip to Australia, New Zealand and Southeast Asia with her boyfriend starting last January.
Police said Thursday they have charged the bus driver, 60-year-old Anthony Phillips, with dangerous operation of a vehicle causing death and careless driving causing death.
Michael Smitiuch, the family’s lawyer with Smitiuch Injury Law, said as a result of the charges, the family filed a statement of claim in court and is seeking $9.5 million in damages from Phillips and FirstCanada, the bus company he was employed by.
Smitiuch said it’s alleged “the driver was distracted and travelling too fast” and “the bus company failed to provide adequate training for the driver and failed to implement safety measures.”
“It’s another senseless tragedy in the Toronto area involving school buses,” Smitiuch said. “Bus drivers and their employers should have a greater level of responsibility for ensuring public safety.”
Smitiuch said a federal task force investigated school bus safety and made recommendations to Transport Canada in 2019 and 2020, which included sensors and automated braking systems on buses to detect pedestrians.
The law firm representing the school bus company and the employee did not respond to a request for comment from Global News by the time of publication. The driver and the school bus company have not yet filed a defence and the allegations against them have not yet been proven in court.
A GoFundMe has also been set up by the family for the Rachel Turner Legacy Fund. As of early Friday afternoon, more than $157,000 have been raised.
“The purpose of the fund is to ensure Rachel’s generous spirit and empathy lives on by helping to provide resources and needed support, including crisis counseling, to young people,” the GoFundMe reads.
“Funds raised will be donated to organizations doing the great work Rachel would have done and to causes she would have supported.”
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