Montrealers call for road safety changes after 7-year-old Ukrainian girl killed in hit-and-run - Action News
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Montreal

Montrealers call for road safety changes after 7-year-old Ukrainian girl killed in hit-and-run

Dozens of residents took part in a march on Friday morning in honour of a seven-year-old girl who was killed earlier this week in a hit-and-run.

Young victim fled war, was hit as she walked to schools with siblings

People are holding up signs.
Parents and children marched to a school in central Montreal and held signs calling for an end to what they describe as road violence. (Ivanoh Demers/Radio-Canada )

The fatal hit-and-run thatleftseven-year-old MariiaLehenkovskadead during her morning walk to schoolon Tuesday happened right in front of Nathalie Turenne's home.

Turenne says sheand many of her neighbours have always known the cornerof de Rouen and Parthenaisin Montreal's Ville-Marie borough was trouble.

Cars go down a steep hill before coming to the stop sign at that intersection, located in a school zone.

"It's very sad news but also very frustrating because we've been asking for changes for years. We knew that something was going to happen," Turennesaid.

"My daughter ... she crossed that street every day, twice a day, for 10years. She was the same age as that little girl when she started walking to school alone."

A profile photo of 7 year old Maria, the victim of a deadly hit and run in Montreal. She has light brown hair, blue eyes, is not smiling and has a black top on.
Mariia Legenkovska, a seven-year-old Ukrainian refugee, died on Tuesday after she was struck by a motorist. (Submitted by Volodymyr Kouchnir)

On Friday morning, Turenne and dozens of other parents and children took part in a march in the midst of heavy snowfall to honour the young victim, who had recently moved to Montreal after fleeing the war in Ukraine with her mother and siblings.

The people who marched called on the city to step up road safety measures and make school zones safer. They brandished hand-painted signs that read "stop road violence."

The march was organized by two groups, Pitons Qubec and Vlorution Montral.

The collision happened in a residential area that countless vehicles gothrough, given its proximity to the city's downtown core.

"It's down a hill, so a lot of people don't stop when they get to the stop sign," Turenne said. "A lot of cars take these streets to go to the South Shore, try to take shortcuts."

On Tuesday, Juan Manuel Becerra Garcia, a 45-year-old man from the South Shore, turned himself in to police. The Saint-Hubert residentwas charged with leaving the scene of a fatal accident. He was granted bail, subject to several conditions.

A street with black-and-yellow bollards squeezing in on the left.
The city has already installed bollards to narrow the road, as a traffic-calming measure. Residents say it should have been done long ago. (City of Montreal)

'We can't wait for one more death'

Montreal Mayor Valrie Plante was at Friday'smarch.

"It doesn't make sense that our children are dying while going to school," the mayor said, adding that Friday's march sends a strong message to the city, the Quebec government and Montreal police about the need for better road safety measures.

On Thursday, the city announced that stop signs in that area would be enlarged, police patrols would be stepped up and a stretch of road near the Parthenais and de Rouen intersection would be narrowed to deter speeding.

A child is holding a sign.
Many children were present during Friday's march. (Ivanoh Demers/Radio-Canada)

"We need more, for sure," said Stphane Hamel,another neighbour.

"We need a crossing guard because it's a dangerous [intersection]and whatever you put, a stop, a light or whatever, people will go through it."

Sandrine Cabana-Degani, the executive director of Pitons Qubec, said it's time for the city to listen to and address the concerns of residents, whohave been highlighting safety issues at countless intersections across Montreal.

"We have the power to act. We know what we have to do and we can't wait for one more death before taking action," she said.

WATCH|Pedestrians, cyclists say drivers speed through area too often:

Frustrated residents sound off about dangerous drivers

2 years ago
Duration 1:00
Some who frequent the intersection where a 7-year-old girl was hit by a car Tuesday say it was an accident waiting to happen.

With files from Rowan Kennedy