Elementary school teacher dies in west-end hit-and-run

TORONTO, Ont. – A 35-year-old cyclist who died after he was struck in a hit-and-run Friday has been identified as an elementary school teacher.

The cyclist was struck on Lansdowne Avenue near Davenport Road at around 6:45 a.m. He was transported to St. Michael’s hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.

CityNews Channel reports the victim is Tom Samson, a Grade 2 teacher at Swansea Public school in the city’s west-end.  

Toronto police confirmed to 680News that the driver fled the site of the crash.

Police are seeking a dark red or burgundy Chrysler minivan with damage to its front-end – in particular the bumper, headlight area, left front cylinder and left side wheel. The vehicle was travelling westbound at the time of the collision.

Const. Clint Stibbe told CityNews Channel that the driver should contact a lawyer.

“We are in the process of tracking that vehicle down,” he said.

“We will find them. The city is looking for them, in fact, the entire GTA is looking for that vehicle right now.”

“We are looking and we’re not going to give up.”

Stibbe said the damage to the car is very obvious and the driver would definitely know the victim was struck.

A second vehicle also struck the man but the driver remained at the scene.

The intersection was shut down for collision reconstruction.

Toronto cyclist group Advocacy For Respect For Cyclists (ARC) announced they will hold a memorial for Samson on Nov. 30. 

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