Woman faces $110 fine for ‘dooring’
A ‘ghost bike’ and flowers was placed as tribute to Danielle Naçu, who died when she collided with a car door on Queen Street and was thrown into the path of a following car.
OTTAWA — Two weeks to the day after Danielle Naçu was killed while she was cycling along Queen Street, a 41-year-old Ottawa woman faces a $110 fine for opening her car door improperly.
The Highway Traffic Act charge against Kathy Chow was laid on Tuesday, Ottawa police said. No other charges are expected.
Naçu’s father Tom Naçu, reached at home in Brampton on Tuesday, said, “The law is the law.”
“I don’t think she meant to do it on purpose. It was carelessness, and I guess she’ll pay for it with more than just a few dollars.
“I would say that there are higher authorities who will look after this. I’m not going to be involved in this now. It’s over and done with, and there’s not much more that we can do about it. Hopefully, somewhere along the way, more people will be conscious of it … both cyclists and motor vehicle drivers.”
On Oct. 11, Danielle Naçu was cycling west along Queen Street between Metcalfe and O’Connor streets. Just before 9 a.m., the driver-side door of a parked Volkswagen hatchback opened and struck her. The impact tossed her into the street, where she was run over by a passing Volkswagen Passat.
Despite the efforts of witnesses, bystanders and emergency personnel who immediately rushed to her aid, Naçu was pronounced dead on arrival at hospital.
Reached in Toronto on Tuesday, Naçu’s 35-year-old brother Brent said the family has a lot of faith in Ottawa police, and that the charge “is part of a bigger answer.”
“If the police found that there was just cause for a highway traffic violation, that’s great,” he said. “Should it be more? I don’t know. … Overall, if cycling deaths can be prevented and cycling safety can be enhanced, we’re 100-per-cent supportive of that.”
Both men also said they’re heartened by the Chief Coroner of Ontario’s Monday announcement that cycling deaths in the province are under investigation and review.
More than 100 people turned out to Naçu’s Ottawa memorial service on Oct. 15, and hundreds more turned out to the Oct. 18 memorial bicycle ride along Queen Street held in her honour.
Brent Naçu said about 100 people, mainly close friends and family, turned out to last week’s memorial service in Mississauga, where Danielle was born and raised.
According to statistics released by Ottawa police days after Naçu’s death, 19 drivers had been charged with “dooring” prior to Tuesday’s charge against Chow. Twenty-five drivers were charged in 2010, 19 in 2009 and 21 in 2008.
