A Toronto family is suing the Toronto Transit Commission and Toronto Police for $2-million alleging negligence in their death of their 17-year old son who was struck and killed by a TTC bus two summers ago.

The family of Alex Gillespie, 17, maintains the bus driver was speeding near Woodbine Beach in 2010. Bill Gillespie said he obtained TTC documents through the Freedom of Information Act that show the bus that ran his son down was travelling 57 kilometres per hour. He said that was much too fast for a road crowded with young people being chased from a beach party by Toronto Police.  

“The speed limit is 50, but in my mind that’s beside the point, my question is why wasn’t he doing 10, why wasn’t he doing 20…wouldn’t you slow down?”, he said.

The family also alleges negligence by Toronto Police, claiming they did not properly control traffic on Lakeshore Boulevard to ensure it was safe for Alex and other party-goers to cross the street.

“The tragedy that took place that night was completely predictable and for that reason, I say it was completely and totally avoidable,” lawyer Sean Dewart said.

“If the police had been a little less fixated on showing their muscle and had been a little more concerned about people’s safety, this would have not happened because steps would have been taken to control the crowd properly as opposed to simply dispersing them without any thought as to what was going to happen next.”

Alex’s parents also said their son had no drugs or alcohol in his system when he died.