A North Vancouver couple remain in hospital after being struck by a driver while they rested on a park bench Monday.
Police say a senior was driving south on Lonsdale Avenue just after noon when he swerved left into the plaza at the corner of Lonsdale and 11th Street, plowing through the bench and hitting a tree.
The victims, a married North Vancouver couple in their 60s who were on the bench at the time, suffered serious but non-life-threatening injuries including broken bones and internal wounds, according to Cpl. Richard De Jong, North Vancouver RCMP spokesman.
The driver, a West Vancouver man in his 80s, was also taken to hospital but has since been released.
The investigation into the crash isn’t complete yet, but police believe the driver was in medical distress immediately before he swerved into the park.
“They’re looking at a medical condition as to the cause of the accident. It’s quite unfortunate,” De Jong said. “We’re not looking at any criminal (charges) or fines at this point.”
Once the investigation is complete, the RCMP will forward a request to the Office of the Superintendent of Motor Vehicles to review whether the driver is medically fit to keep his licence, De Jong said.
The park is most notable for Grizzly, a concrete statue of a bear by Vancouver sculptor Ken Clarke, installed in 2007.
