Taxi driver killed in East Vancouver crash with car2go smart car

A collision early Sunday morning in East Vancouver killed a taxi driver and sent three other people to hospital with injuries.

According to the Vancouver Police Department (VPD), the incident occurred at approximately 3:30 am at the intersection of East 1st Avenue and Renfrew Street, when a car2go car share smart car collided with a Yellow Cab carrying two passengers.

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The force of the crash sent the taxi vehicle into the Royal Bank, causing damage to the building at the southeast corner of the intersection.

Emergency services arrived shortly after and provided first aid. Police say both drivers were taken to hospital, where the 28-year-old male taxi driver was pronounced dead, marking the 14th traffic-related fatality of 2019 in Vancouver.

The driver of the car2go is a male in his 20s and remains in hospital with serious injuries.

The two passengers in the taxi were also taken to hospital for incurring non-life threatening injuries.

The VPD’s Collision Investigation Unit is in the process of collecting evidence; early findings in the investigation indicate speed and alcohol were factors.

Police believe the car2go driver t-boned the taxi vehicle after running a red light at the intersection. The Independent Investigations Office has been notified, as it appears the driver of the car2go may have evaded officers at a drunk driving checkpoint before the collision.

Anyone who witnessed the collision or saw the vehicles prior to the crash is asked to reach out to the VPD at 604-717-3012.