Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Nov26, 2003. clear late morning around 11AM-noon, no precip on ground.
My cousin was going to a restaurant. Idled his car with his parents seated inside to help a parked car leave so he can take the person’s space once gone.
And out of nowhere comes a minivan to park in the now empty space. Although my cousin has been telling all cars that passed by that this is his spot. (His idled car has the turn signals on to reinforce his intent to park. The minivan guy says “move out of the way”. Cousin says, " I plan on parking here", minivan guys says, “Do you want to commit suicide?”.
Minivan guy begins to bump my cousin and then hitting the gas to move faster. (most likely top speed of 15/20 kph, and of roughly 3/4 car length of this speed). My cousin is backpedalling while the minivan moves towards him. He can’t backpedal anymore, since recently had surgery on his right knee (from slipping on ice incident JAN2003, shattered knee cap in 3 pieces). He gets hit hard on his knees at the end of the car length. Nothing broken at the scene, but knees are sore.
Minivan guy goes into restaurant to eat with family. My cousin tells him while walking in that the police will be called. Police arrive, cousin points out minivan guy. Cop says “two wrongs don’t make a right” (??? I don’t know what my cousin did wrong here ???), also says “Doesn’t want to clog the courts with parking spot fights when there are rapist and murderers to be put behind bars” (??? criminal charges won’t be laid ???)
My opinion on this is as follows and might be biased towards my cousin:
this was a physical assault using a weapon with intent to kill.
physical assault using a weapon is straight forward. It’s like someone coming at my with a bat but in this case it’s a minivan. Intent to kill is shady, but the minivan guy gave the option of committing suicide. This statement was written down by the police as testimony from both parties involved. The minivan guy had intent to kill in my opinion.
What I want to see is this minivan guy lose his driver’s licsence AND get jail time. Yea, I know I’m biased but is there nothing that can be done? The cop that had arrived didn’t seem to be sympathetic with my cousin. I thought pedestrians were almost always in the right (barring flat stupidity like running across a busy intersection).
What my cousin did afterwards. He called his lawyer, but the lawyer will see him two days after the incident or Nov28, 2003. He went to the doctor’s later in the day and was told there is ligament damage in both knees. Badge number and minivan licsence plater numbers were recorded. NO pictures taken, no unbiased witness remained at scene to record contant information.
Criminal charges? police doesn’t want to.
Civil suit for medical bills? Mind you this is Canada and so no outrageous pain and suffering settlements.
What needs to be done? Is there anyway this guy can be held resposible?
And in closing what the fvck is wrong with the world today?
It’s people like the minivan guy that we live in such a $hithole of a world…