[Whoaccio]

^
The video at the bottom of this CTV article has an interview with a witness who claims to have seen Sheppard toss his bike at Bryant's car. More interesting is that the video claims that the altercation started at Sherbourne and Bloor, where Sheppard felt he was cut off (presumably by Bryant), and then proceeded to harass him until Avenue Road.

Witness testimony makes is clear that the car was under control.

I have seen no witness testimony to that effect, and even if it did exist would stretch credulity. It would be next to impossible for a witness to ascertain what was happening inside the car in this situation in the span of a second or two, at night.

 

[lordmandeep]

this is best settle in the courts we can argue all the way to page 10223 of this thread about what may or may not have happened


No did Bryant hit the cyclist or did the cyclist hit the car or did the cyclist just go crazy over being cut off??

 

[Roy G Biv]

"Witnesses said Sheppard threw his bike at a car before confronting the driver and reaching into the car."

This could refer to Bryant throwing his bike in front of Bryant's car.

As witness testimony from his friends shortly before the incident is that "he was too drunk to ride a bicycle", then surely that could explain a lot of why the initial accident took place.

Yes, it could show that Sheppard was at fault for the initial bump, but I think that's irrelevant.

Hopefully those security tapes get leaked, so we can all see what happened.

 

[GraphicMatt]

I've heard both the "he threw it at the car" and "he threw his bike in front of the car, to prevent it from leaving." I could see different witnesses seeing different things, depending on how far away they were and at what angle they saw the scene.

 

[Roy G Biv]

I've heard both the "he threw it at the car" and "he threw his bike in front of the car, to prevent it from leaving." I could see different witnesses seeing different things, depending on how far away they were and at what angle they saw the scene.

Or how much green they got!

Ok, that's not fair. It's tempting to think of though...

 

[lordmandeep]

Yes, it could show that Sheppard was at fault for the initial bump, but I think that's irrelevant.

It is relevant because if Sheppard bumped into Bryanty car and went nuts, Bryant will go "he hit me and went crazy at me, I was scared!!"

That would make Bryant seem the victim of an attack who just responded with to much force.


also if someone throws a bike at a car to

A. Hurt the driver
B. Block the driver

The driver will assume he is going to hurt me.

Its quite funny how such a small change of events can mean so much in the court of law.

 

[W. K. Lis]

From the Star:

Bryant resigns from Invest Toronto

While asserting his innocence, Michael Bryant has resigned as CEO of Invest Toronto in the wake of criminal charges laid against him after a cyclist was killed Monday night.

"I write to resign as CEO of Invest Toronto with immediate effect. It was a huge honour to serve the City of Toronto by helping to steer Toronto's economy through these remarkable economic times and to put together the framework for Invest Toronto,'' the former Ontario attorney general said in a statement released today.

In a written statement, Mayor David Miller accepted the resignation, and thanked Bryant for his brief tenure and role in the startup of the new agency.

Calling him "a dedicated public servant with a unique gift that will be missed at Invest Toronto," Miller said Bryant's vision for "the organization was clear and his commitment obvious."

Miller reiterated his condolences to the family and friends of bike courier Darcy Allan Sheppard, and added that his thoughts are with "Mr. Bryant and his family at this difficult time."

Invest Toronto was created last September to market and promote the city to investors after the Toronto Economic Development Corp. was scrapped. Bryant was appointed CEO in May after resigning as a cabinet minister in Premier Dalton McGuinty's government.

In an indication that he plans to mount a defence, Bryant said, "Let me be clear: I am innocent of the very serious accusations made against me. It would, however, be unfair to you, the (Invest Toronto) board and above all to the residents of Toronto to allow this event to distract from the vital efforts of Invest Toronto,'' the statement says.

"I do not believe, however, that I can continue in this position on account of the circumstances of the past two days,'' the statement goes on to say.

"The CEO of Invest Toronto is a position that demands the full attention and energy of its owner. Torontonians demand no less,'' Bryant says.

Bryant faces charges of criminal negligence causing death and dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing death after an alleged confrontation with Sheppard.

Police say Sheppard grabbed onto a car that then drove off with the man hanging on. He then fell and suffered fatal injuries.

 

[nfitz]

Sherbourne and Bloor[/I], where Sheppard felt he was cut off (presumably by Bryant), and then proceeded to harass him until Avenue Road.

wow ... if correct the cyclist chased Bryant over a kilometre to Bay ... hmm, given the accident has been reported at 9:30, then that would have put the start of the incident at closer to 9:20 ... which is only minutes after police chased him away from the Gerrard/Jarvis area sometime after 9 pm.

There's also the question of why did the police not stop someone who was clearly intoxicated from operating a bicycle when they had the chance?

 

[Whoaccio]

Personally, the most regrettable aspect of this is that Sheppard is being treated as some martyr in the "cars vs. bikes" debate. I can accept that Bryant behaved in a way that, in retrospect, was less than ideal and that he will have to live with Sheppard's death. Sheppard's actions though, from the beginning until just about the end, were totally inexcusable and frankly idiotic.

Cycling drunk (not just beer after work drunk, but handcuffed in police cruiser drunk)? Idiotic.
Harassing a driver for over a km? Idiotic.
Throwing your bicycle, either "in front of" or "at", dumb? Idiotic.
In some way attaching yourself to a car, either in an attempt to detain it or in the process of assaulting the driver? Idiotic

I really don't see how anyone could string together a chain of such incredibly stupid acts in a single night, let alone a ten-fifteen minute period. I'm considering submitting this to the Darwin Awards. It's too bad for his kids and everything, but if ever there were a case for licensing cyclists Sheppard is it.

 

[Prometheus The Supremo]

but if ever there were a case for licensing cyclists Sheppard is it.

maybe there should be a license required to drink alcohol.

 

[doady]

Personally, the most regrettable aspect of this is that Sheppard is being treated as some martyr in the "cars vs. bikes" debate. I can accept that Bryant behaved in a way that, in retrospect, was less than ideal and that he will have to live with Sheppard's death. Sheppard's actions though, from the beginning until just about the end, were totally inexcusable and frankly idiotic.

Completely agree.

It's too bad for his kids and everything, but if ever there were a case for licensing cyclists Sheppard is it.

This is the sort of thing I'm afraid of. My fellow cyclists, please stop defending this guy and martyring him. We should distance ourselves from this incident, not "attach" ourselves to it. Just because he was a cyclist doesn't automatically mean he was right.

 

[Whoaccio]

maybe there should be a license required to drink alcohol.

Thats not really necessary, but if cops had him handcuffed for what appears to be drunkenness and assault, then saw him get on a bicycle, they should have had some way to issue a sort of DUI.

 

[nfitz]

Thats not really necessary, but if cops had him handcuffed for what appears to be drunkenness and assault, then saw him get on a bicycle, they should have had some way to issue a sort of DUI.

They do. Why didn't they use it? Perhaps the officer involved should be charged with manslaughter?

 

[Roy G Biv]

This is the sort of thing I'm afraid of. My fellow cyclists, please stop defending this guy and martyring him. We should distance ourselves from this incident, not "attach" ourselves to it. Just because he was a cyclist doesn't automatically mean he was right.

I'm sure Mr. Sheppard was in a shit mood for getting thrown out of his gf's place, and breaking his 8 days of sobriety etc, and created the situation.... but if he gets a Darwin award, so does Bryant for his outrageous retaliation.

There were other options, and he should be punished for choosing the wrong one.

 

[nfitz]

I'm sure Mr. Sheppard was in a shit mood for getting thrown out of his gf's place, and breaking his 8 days of sobriety etc, and created the situation.... but if he gets a Darwin award, so does Bryant for his outrageous retaliation.

How is Bryant eligble? He's alive, and that makes him ineligible.

From all the evidence I've seen, blaming Bryant at this stage is attacking the victim of a crime. Perhaps you should wait a bit before making such accusations.