A man lost his life Wednesday night after a colllision with an out-of-service OC Transpo bus in Ottawa. The incident took place on Highway 417 near Parkdale Avenue, resulting in a prolonged closure of the eastbound lanes.

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The 8:15 p.m. collision on Highway 417

The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) responded to a report of a crash at 8:15 p.m. Wednesday in the eastbound lanes of Highway 417 near Parkdale Avenue. According to the report, a pedestrian was struck by a local transit bus that was not in active service at the time of the impact.

Ottawa Paramedic Service spokesperson Marc-Antoine Deschamps told CBC News that the victim was transported to a hospital in critical condition.. However, the OPP later confirmed on Thursday morning that the man had died from his injuries.

OC Transpo's internal review of the out-of-service bus

OC Transpo, the public transit provider for the city of Ottawa, has announced it will conduct its own internal review of the accident. While the agency acknowledged the incident involving an out-of-service bus, it has not yet detailed how the vehicle became involved in the fatal strike.

As reported by CBC News, the transit agency has not provided a specific timeline for when this review will be completed or if the data collection process has already begun... This internal investigation will run parallel to the active probe being conducted by the Ontario Provincial Police.

The midnight reopening of Parkdale Avenue's eastbound lanes

The fatal crash caused significant traffic disruptions as the eastbound lanes of Highway 417 near Parkdale Avenue remained closed for several hours. emergency crews and police remained on-site to investigate the scene and document the collision.

The OPP stated via a social media post that the roadway was finally reopened to traffic at approximately 12:40 a.m. on Thursday. the scene was documented by journalists from CTV News Ottawa and CBC News, with photos showing special constables managing access to the restricted area.

Why a pedestrian was on the eastbound lanes of Highway 417

A critical gap in the current reporting is the explanation for why a pedestrian was walking on a high-speed highway.. Highway 417 is a major controlled-access freeway where pedestrian traffic is strictly prohibited, making the man's presence there highly unusual and raising questions about the saafety of the corridor.

Furthermore, it remains unclear why an out-of-service OC Transpo bus was in a position to strike a pedestrian in those specific lanes. the OPP has not yet identified the deceased man or released a timeline for further disclosures, leaving the specific circumstances of the encounter entirely unverified.