Exposed wire injures Fort Erie cyclist, no one takes responsibility

An exposed wire across a Fort Erie sidewalk injured a cyclist last month, but the town and Niagara Region say it is not their responsibility, and Bell denies owning it.

Jack Sutherland was riding home from work on the Garrison Road sidewalk, a few doors from Elvis Victoria House Deli on the same side of the road, shortly after 9 p.m. on September 23 when a wire hanging from a hydro pole across the sidewalk caught around his neck.

“Out of nowhere, something got caught around my neck and knocked me backwards,” said Sutherland.

His lower back struck his rear tire as the wire jerked him backwards. He tried to free his neck with one hand, but the wire slowed his bike until he had to let himself fall onto his right shoulder.

The wire left a mark across Sutherland’s neck, and the crash left a bleeding cut on his lower back and scraped skin on his hand. Paramedics checked him that night, and he declined to go to hospital.

“I was coughing to try and catch my breath, because obviously it was around my neck,” said Sutherland.

Rankin Construction was resurfacing Garrison Road for Niagara Region at the time.

He could not see the thin wire in the dark because there is no streetlight on that stretch of Garrison Road.

Sutherland spotted the wire across the same sidewalk and rode around it on his way to his 3 p.m. shift at No Frills, about six hours before the crash.

“I was like, ‘That’s dangerous, that shouldn’t be there,’” said Sutherland.

Niagara Regional Police officers reached the scene around 10:30 p.m. and placed a pylon on the wire after moving it, Constable Jessica Martin said. Martin told Fort Erie Radio police understood the area to be a construction site, and a worker for the construction company was told about the hazard that night.

Police received a second call about the same hazard one minute after the first.

When Sutherland returned on Saturday, September 26, someone had moved the pylon and the wire still lay across the sidewalk, he said. The wire was no longer attached to anything and trailed into a neighbouring yard.

“Since it’s almost a week and nothing’s been done yet, it’s a little concerning,” Sutherland told Fort Erie Radio on September 28.

Sutherland said his family called the Town of Fort Erie the day after the crash and was told to contact Niagara Region because Garrison Road is a regional road. The region suggested the wire could belong to Bell or Cogeco.

“Everyone’s pointing fingers,” said Sutherland.

Niagara Region senior communications specialist Jason Misner told Fort Erie Radio the matter did not involve a regional road issue and directed questions to the local utility. Misner later said he did not know which utility was working on the project and referred Fort Erie Radio back to the town.

Town communications adviser Cole Patton said the town does not manage utility lines and has no information about the wire, and the region or Rankin Construction would be best placed to identify the utility.

The town’s customer service team asked Bell to deal with a wire in the same area after a resident raised a concern, and Bell repaired it.

“We can confirm that the wire involved is not Bell infrastructure,” said Bell public affairs manager Zoe Chapman.

Fort Erie Radio could not confirm which wire Bell repaired, or whether anyone has removed the wire that struck Sutherland.

Sutherland said his family wants compensation but is still trying to learn who is responsible.

Sutherland hosts Middays with Jack Sutherland, which airs weekdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Fort Erie Radio.

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