A former police officer who lost part of his leg after being hit by an SUV is recovering from his extensive injuries and believes what happened to him was no accident.
Ron Broda, who worked as a police officer for 28 years in Vancouver and Victoria, is suing the driver who hit him in July 2013.
Eric Gosse was charged with criminal negligence, assault using a weapon, and aggravated assault, but was acquitted of all three charges connected to the crash, which was captured on video at Ogden Point in Victoria.
Gosse was only found guilty of the lesser, included offence of dangerous driving causing bodily harm. The judge was not persuaded Gosse intended to drive his vehicle into Broda’s motorcycle, though they did find the vehicle accelerated in the seconds before the crash, did not brake, and was driving at least 50 kilometres per hour.
“I’m rather cynical about how our criminal system works. I hesitate to call it a justice system,” Broda said, adding, “When seeing isn't believing, you kind of wonder what sentence is likely to be imposed.”
Broda has no memory of the crash and said he remembered waking up wondering why his leg was severed below the knee.
“I did die, technically. I was revived twice in the operating room,” he said.
He was in a medically-induced coma for 13 days, suffered a closed brain injury, a bruised heart, numerous broken bones, a dislocated shoulder and temporary kidney failure.
“I’m lucky to be here,” he said. “It’s a miracle I’m alive… It has been hard work, there’s no question about that but I’ve had a good team supporting me and I’m willing to put the work in.”
Broda now works for the Canada Border Services Agency and launched a civil case against the driver, who did not testify in the criminal case.
“To me it was clearly intentional,” Broda said. “Everybody I know who’s seen the video thinks it was intentional... In my mind the real justice will happen in the civil case when Mr. Gosse has to testify and can’t hide anymore.” he said.
Gosse’s sentencing date is being set Aug. 10. He could face up to 10 years in jail, though the Crown is asking for a six to nine-month sentence.
“I died and was saved by the health care system. What would it take to get anywhere close to the maximum penalty? How much is a life worth?” Broda asked.
Now working hard to recover, Broda never intended to let his injuries limit his life. He is working to build strength and range of motion through physiotherapy and is back on his new motorcycle, purchased while he was still bed-ridden in the hospital.
Jeannette Jorgenson, a physiotherapist and program manager of LifeMark Physiotherapy’s amputee program, works with Broda.
“He’s an exemplary client because he comes in here ready to work every day and works as hard as he can,” she said. “He came in here with a very positive attitude right from the beginning.”
Broda said is determined to live his life with an optimistic outlook despite the crash.
“He took my leg. He didn’t take my spirit,” Broda said. “There’s that cliché ‘Don’t let bad things define you. Well they do define you, but the good news is you get to choose how they define you. You can let it defeat you and you can get bitter, or you can get better and continue.”
With a report from CTV Vancouver’s Shannon Paterson
