Cyclist killed in city's west end

A 53-year-old cyclist was killed when he was involved in a collision with an SUV in the Britannia Park neighbourhood Friday morning, police said.

The man was riding northbound on Boyce Avenue just before 7 a.m.

Police Const. Alain Boucher said the SUV had just made a right turn onto Boyce Street from Walter Street when the cyclist drove through a stop sign at Boyce and came up on her right-hand side, bumping her vehicle.

"It would appear that she for reasons that are not quite clear at this time lost control of her vehicle, and the cyclist ended up under the vehicle," Boucher said.

The family of the SUV driver said she has her G1 or learner's permit and was in the middle of a lesson with a friend when the collision happened.

A Boyce Street resident who didn't want to give his name said he ran outside when he heard the accident, and found the cyclist pinned under the SUV.

"I could hear him, so I went over to the SUV and knelt down, and told him that help was on the way. He was speaking, and he seemed to be aware of where he was, and what was going on, and it was just "get it off me."

He said all he could do was hold the man's hand and reassure him.

Firefighters used airbags to lift the SUV off the man. Paramedics treated him and took him to hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Terry Orchard, the husband of the driver of the SUV, said his wife was in shock after the collision.

"I had told her it was very bad and she said no how is he and finally I said he's died and then she just broke into wailing and collapsed in my arms," said Orchard.

It's the third fatality on Ottawa streets in the last three days.

The family of the cyclist has asked that his identity not be released.