Electric bicycle collides with pickup truck

The rider of an electric bicycle was left with serious, life-threatening injuries after a collision with a pickup truck towing a trailer with a horse inside at the intersection of Lyons Line and Whittaker Road in Malahide on Thursday, Aug. 18, at 7:01 a.m.

Constable Ed Sanchuk on behalf of Elgin Ontario Provincial Police said police, Malahide firefighters and Elgin County paramedics were called to the scene.

Police investigation determined that an electric bicycle similar to a motorcycle had collided with the pickup, which was hauling a livestock trailer containing a horse.

As a result, the pickup left the road, rolling over and colliding with a utility pole.

The driver of the pickup suffered seemingly minor injuries.

A police investigation into the crash continues.

Malahide Fire Chief Jeff Spoor reported both the bicyclist and pickup driver were taken by ambulance to hospital.

The trailer had become unhitched from the pickup as it rolled over, he noted. The horse was removed from the trailer and seemed unharmed.

A hydro pole and lines were taken down as a result of the crash, causing a blackout in the area, he reported. The transformer on the pole also ruptured, and Hydro One dispatched its hazardous material cleanup squad to deal with that.

He expected between police investigation and repairing hydro service, Lyons Line between Imperial Road and Putnam Road and Whittaker Road between Crossley Hunter Line and Century Line would remain closed most of Thursday.