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British Columbia

Driver could face fine in cyclist's death for allegedly opening door into bike lane

A North Vancouver man has been charged under the Motor Vehicle Act in connection with the death of a cyclist who was knocked under the wheels of a dump truck in January.

Mike McIntosh, 55, died after colliding with a dump truck near Lonsdale Quay in January

RCMP say charges have been laid under the Motor Vehicle Act in connection with a 55-year-old cyclist's death on Esplanade West on Jan. 27. No criminal charges have been laid. (Shane MacKichan)

A North Vancouver, B.C., man has been chargedunder the Motor Vehicle Act in connection with the death of a cyclist who was bumped underthe wheels of a dump truck near Lonsdale Quay in January.

The cyclist, Mike McIntosh, had been riding west in the bike lane down Esplanade West around 1:45 p.m. PT when hebecame involved in a chain-reaction crash allegedlycaused by a driverwho openedthe door of their parked vehicleinto the bike lane.

McIntosh fell under adump truck driving down the roadand died at the scene.

Patrick Timothy Colwell, 59, has been charged with unsafely opening the door of a vehicle under the Motor Vehicle Act.

On Friday, RCMP confirmed the investigation has concluded and Mounties aren't pursuing criminal charges against Colwell.

Police closed the area in the 100 block of Esplanade West in North Vancouver as they investigated the cyclist's death. (Shane MacKichan)

The bike lane on Esplanade West in North Vancouver is set between parked cars and traffic.

"It was a Sunday afternoon, the weather was good, people were out and about ... but it's a high-density area and it's just so unfortunate somebody's life was taken because of this incident," RCMP Cpl. Richard De Jongsaid in January.

The bike lane on Esplanade West in North Vancouver at Lonsdale is set between parked cars and two lanes of traffic. RCMP say Mike McIntosh, a cyclist killed in January, had been riding in the designated bike lane. (Shane MacKichan)

McIntosh had been a liaison librarian at Simon Fraser University'sBelzbergLibrary for around 30 years. An obituary posted online by the university described him as"an avid cyclist and bicycle commuter" with "dry wit and unflappable nature."

Colwell's first court appearance is set to be inNorth Vancouver provincial court at 9:30 a.m. PT on July 24.The charge of unsafely opening the door of a vehicle carries a fine of $81.

With files from Chad Pawson and Yvette Brend