Foul play unlikely in man’s death, police say

79-year-old found lying in street in North Saanich

The death of a 79-year-old man who was found lying in a North Saanich street Tuesday morning was likely accidental, police say.

The man was found on Lochside Drive near Cy Hampson Park about 4 a.m.

He was taken to Victoria General Hospital with serious injuries and died there.

Sidney/North Saanich RCMP Cpl. Erin Fraser said it appears the man died from head injuries after a fall. She said there was no evidence of foul play or anything to suggest that he was hit by a vehicle.

She said the man seems to have been wandering around Sidney and North Saanich.

“It would appear as though he became disoriented and may have had early signs of cognitive/memory impairment.”

Fraser said there was initially no clear indication of what happened, but consultation with the B.C. Coroners Service and medical professionals led to the eventual conclusion about the death.

Lochside Drive between Amity and McTavish streets was closed for several hours as police investigated. Police dogs were brought in to help with a search of the park, and cones were set out to mark potential clues.

The park, a popular dog-walking spot, was back to normal in the late morning. Des Easthom said he planned to be there earlier, but was aware of the situation and stayed away until police left.

Susan Rowed, a newcomer to the area, was shocked to hear about the man’s death.

“That’s too bad,” she said. “That’s terrible.”

Having such a tragedy happen so close to home is strange, said area resident Jeannine Miller. “You just don’t know from one day to the next,” she said. “I feel sorry for whoever died.”

Miller called the incident unusual for the neighbourhood. “It’s normally so quiet around here,” she said. “It’s got the neighbours talking.”

The police presence lasted for some time, Miller said. “They’ve been good about coming around and seeing if anybody heard anything.”

Fraser said a photo of the man is being obtained from his family. Police plan to release the photo in an effort to further the investigation.

“We still want to piece together where this man was before he was found, and we’re hoping the public can help us with that,” she said.

Police ask anyone with information about what happened to contact them at 250-656-3931.