Funeral for man struck by pickup

Mourners were to gather Monday for the funeral of a pedestrian struck by a pickup on a northern Alberta road before an arriving RCMP vehicle may have hit him again.

Friends have identified the victim as Tracy Lyle Janvier, 41, of Janvier. His funeral was to be held in the northeastern Alberta community, about 400 kilometres from Edmonton, at 11 a.m.

Alberta’s police watchdog agency was investigating the fatal collision, which occurred early on Aug. 21 on Highway 881, about 75 kilometres south of Fort McMurray. RCMP first received calls about a male pedestrian walking southbound in the middle of the highway. A Mountie was dispatched to the scene, shortly after which a further call reported the pedestrian had been struck by a pickup, according to the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT).

The officer who was responding was advised of the collision and Emergency Medical Services was also dispatched. The officer approached with emergency equipment activated and came upon several vehicles pulled over. When the officer drove past the vehicles, a man who was standing on the roadway was struck in the hand by the police vehicle. ASIRT is investigating that collision, as well as whether the injured pedestrian lying on the road, who died at the scene, was also struck by the police vehicle.

The occupants of the vehicle that first struck the pedestrian stopped, reported the matter, and attempted to help the man. Additional vehicles also stopped to provide assistance, including a large commercial vehicle. ASIRT is still seeking help in locating the driver of the commercial vehicle. The agency asks any other witnesses to contact investigators at 780-644-1483.