'An incredible future ahead of him': Memorial ride held for cyclist killed in Vancouver crash
A memorial ride was held Sunday for a man killed while cycling in downtown Vancouver.
Twenty-eight-year-old Agustin Beltran, originally from Mexico, and a PhD student at the University of British Columbia, died after being struck by a dump truck at the intersection of Pacific and Hornby streets Wednesday morning.
Friends, family and members of the cycling community gathered at the Vancouver Art Gallery Sunday before riding over to a growing memorial at the crash scene.
“I’m just here as a fellow cyclist. It just saddens me that things like this can happen,” said Dara Poon.
Vancouver police are continuing to investigate the crash. Authorities said the driver has been co-operating with their investigation, and they do not believe speed or impairment were factors in the collision.
A damaged blue and black bicycle could be seen underneath the wheels of the dump truck in the aftermath of the crash.
"It's just a terrible loss,” said Thomas Davidoff, an Associate Professor at the UBC Sauder School of Business who said he had just hired Beltran as a research assistant.
"I was supposed to meet him in person, I had met him on Zoom, and 90 minutes before I was going to have the chance to meet him, I learned that he had passed away in this horrible accident,” Davidoff said.
Several cyclists in attendance said that intersection has become increasingly dangerous in recent years.
“It’s a bad intersection, There’s still issues with cars coming off the bridge and turning on to Hornby,” said Claude Brunelle, who lives nearby.
"I see a lot of cyclists going through there, they more or less have the right of way, but I've seen a few close calls at that corner.”.
The group of around 100 people held a moment of silence at the memorial, before a lengthy round of applause broke out.
A memorial ride was also held in Beltran’s home town of Mexico City Sunday.
"He was a really smart guy, I think he was a really nice guy, very professional hard-working. He had such an incredible future ahead of him,” Davidoff said
“It just got ended in an accident that never should have happened,”
With files from CTV News Vancouver’s Tahmina Aziz and Andrew Weichel.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Federal government grants B.C.'s request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces
The federal government is granting British Columbia's request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces, nearly two weeks after the province asked to end its pilot project early over concerns of public drug use.
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
Stormy Daniels took the witness stand Tuesday at Donald Trump's hush money trial, describing for jurors a sexual encounter the porn actor says she had with him in 2006 that resulted in her being paid off to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
MPs agree Canadian gov't should improve new disability benefit
The federal government needs to safeguard the incoming Canada Disability Benefit from clawbacks and do more to ensure it actually meets the stated aim of lifting people living with disabilities out of poverty, MPs from all parties agree.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
CFL suspends Argos QB Chad Kelly at least nine games following investigation
The CFL has suspended Toronto Argonauts quarterback Chad Kelly for at least nine regular-season games following its investigation into a lawsuit filed by a former strength-and-conditioning coach against both the player and club.
Boy Scouts of America changing name for first time in 114 years, aiming for inclusivity
The Boy Scouts of America is changing its name for the first time in its 114-year history and will become Scouting America. It's a significant shift as the organization emerges from bankruptcy following a flood of sexual abuse claims and seeks to focus on inclusion.
opinion Tom Mulcair: Trudeau's handling of Poilievre's 'wacko' House turfing a clear sign of Liberal desperation
When Speaker Greg Fergus tossed out Pierre Poilievre from the House last week, "those of us who have experience as parliamentarians simply couldn't believe our eyes," writes former NDP leader Tom Mulcair in his column for CTVNews.ca
New charges for Ont. woman who previously admitted to defrauding doulas
The Brantford, Ont. woman who was previously sentenced to house arrest after admitting to deceiving doulas has been charged again in connection to a new victim.