Police remain tight-lipped one year after crash killed municipal worker near Victoria

One year after an allegedly reckless driver careened into a municipal park east of Victoria, killing a 52-year-old husband and father of two young children, there are few answers about what led to the crash and no criminal charges have been forwarded to prosecutors.

One year after an allegedly reckless driver careened into a municipal park east of Victoria, killing a 52-year-old husband and father of two young children, there are few answers about what led to the crash and no criminal charges have been forwarded to prosecutors.

Oak Bay municipal worker Steve Seekins was killed instantly when the black SUV struck him while he and a work crew were inspecting a storm sewer next to Bowker Creek on Monterey Avenue, across the street from the Oak Bay fire and police headquarters, on May 17, 2023.

Witnesses told CTV News they saw the vehicle speeding down the typically quiet Monterey Avenue that Wednesday morning, weaving into oncoming traffic and narrowly missing a child on a bicycle just moments before the fatal collision.

Oak Bay police Chief Mark Fischer said at the time that investigators had "evidence of erratic driving," confirming the SUV was "travelling at a high rate of speed" before the crash. The vehicle "crossed both lanes of traffic and struck Mr. Seekins from behind, causing him to go airborne," Fisher said.

The SUV continued through the park before buckling around a large tree. The driver was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. 

Investigators, with assistance from the Saanich Police Department, canvassed the area for witnesses and surveillance video taken in the moments before the collision.

One year later, the police chief says the department continues to investigate the crash and "remains committed to ensuring that all possible facets of inquiry leading up to the collision have been comprehensively addressed."