B.C. Supreme Court trial

A DIZZY spell may have sent the driver of a sports car careering off the road outo a West Vancouver sidewaik, killing a female pedestrian, B.C. Supreme Court Justice Donald Clan- cy heard Wednesday in a Vancouver courtroom.

By Chery! Ziola Contributing Writer

Laverne Darrell Vanlerberghe faces a charge of criminal negligence in connection with the death of West Vancouver resident Ingaborg Von Schiack, 56, on March 30, 1991.

Von Schlack was struck on Marine Drive at 19th Street after a Mazda RX 7 drove off the road and mounted the sidewalk.

THe car smashed into a nearby Esso gas station, knocking out a gas pump and bursting into flames.

Vanilerberghe, wha sustained a cut under his left eye and a possi- ble concussion after hitting his head, said he doesn’t remember how the accident occurred, a Lions Gate Hospital emergency physician testified.

Dr. Michael O'Neil, the doctor on duty on the day of the acci- dent, said under questioning frony defence attorney Joel Gold that Vanlerberghe may have suffered a dizzy spell just before the accident that could atso account for mem- ory loss.

Gold earlier told the court his client had a medical history of dizzy spelis, migraines and hypertension.

While O'Neil said a battery of tests didn’t show evidence of a

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Friday, Nov. 27, 1992 - North Shore News - 3

Dizzy spell suggested as crash cause into March 199

1 accident that killec

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"Photo submitted

ON MARCH 19, 1991, WV resident Ingaborg Von Schiack was struck and kitled on Marine Drive at 19th Street alter a Mazda RX 7 drove off the road and meunted the sidewalk. The car smashed into a nearby gas station pump and burst into flames.

dizzy spell, he admitted the tests aren’t conclusive.

“Dizziness has 1,001 causes,” O'Neil said.

Although Vanlerberghe’s mem- oty foss could also be attributed to 2 later concussion, O'Neil said he couldn’t be sure.

“TI was never entirely convinced that his lack of memory was from a head injury. 1 couldn't con- clude... with certainty whether the

patient was forthcoming in everything he knew,"’ O'Neil said.

“f wasn’t sure whether he knew he had struck the woman. I just recall a somewhat emotionally uninvolved response.**

O'Neil was then asked by Gold whether alcohol was a con- triduting factor to the accident.

” Vanlerberghe showed no. evi- dence of alcohol on his breath, O'Neil replied.

rotesters abandon reservoir as court injunction ends blockade Environmental logging opponents leave Cap gates

A COURT injunction Wednesday ended a blockade by environmen- talists at the gates of the Capilano watershed.

By Michael Becker News Reporter

Members of Friends of the Watershed had chained thernselves to the Greater Van- conver Regional District (GVRD) watershed access gate at Capilano Road in a move to halt logging in the watershed.

The strategy effectively block- ed logging trucks operated by C&R Logging Ltd. on Nov. 17 and Mov. 19, and on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of this week.

C&R Logging is contracted to fog a portion of the watershed.

The protest also stopped GVRD workers from = entering the watershed.

Said GVRD water district chief engineer John Morse prior to the B.C. Supreme Court is- suance of the injunction, ‘These people are preventing our own water district employees from getting in to maintain the water- shed. .

“They also are obstructing our logging contractor who has a legal right to be there.”’

GVRD employees maintain drainage structures in the water- shed. oo.

Said Morse, ‘‘They maintain the creeks to prevent blockages, things like that which could lead

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‘e a MEWS photo Cindy Goodman

MEMBERS OF Friends of the Watershed (including left to right, Mary, Jason, Mike, lan and Mark) have spent the Jast week protesting watershed logging by locking trucks at- tempting to get through the Capilano reservoir gates.

to debris torrents. All the water courses have to be maintained, particularly at this time of the year."’

Protester Chris Laing was at the gates Wednesday along with a group of angry loggers and members of local media outlets.

“They did get an injunction. Taat’s the reason we called the media: we thought it would be a good media thing when they came to read the injunction, but they didn’t even come.

“CBC, BCTV and the Sun waited until about 4 p.m. Even- tually when we were leaving,

they (loggers) took our big ban- ners and they ripped them to shreds.

‘They were basically going to beat the hell out of us — the loggers. There were six of them and four of us, and they were starting to get really angry and threatening us as soon as the media left. There were just huge, huge arguments,”’ he said. ‘

Laing said no further action is planned at the gates.

“There isn’t much more we can do right now in terms of blockading, unless we want to have arrests,’’ he said.

He added that a blood-alcohol test was not performed because the police didn’t request one.

Another witness heard Wednes- day, ambulance attendant Mike Pascoe, countered earlier testimo- ny from Von Schlack’s husband, Rudolf, that the accused had been talking and laughing in the am- bulance en route to the hospital.

Rudolf, who witnessed his wife’s accident as he rolled beside

1 WV woman

44 Dizziness has 1,001 causes ... I wasn't sure whether he knew he had struck the woman.. 9F

—— Dr. Michael O'Neil

her in his motorized wheelchair, shared an ambulance with Vanlerberghe on the day of the accident.

Pascoe said the allegations of laughter in the ambulance were “*not at all” true.

Vanlerberghe was “‘slightly con- fused’’ and ‘‘sleepy,’’ not even able to remember his own bir- thdate following the accident, Pascoe said.

He admitted he and Vanlerberghe were talking during the ride, but only to determine whether he had a_ concussion, Pascoe added.

During 4 break in testimony, Vanlerberghe told the News that he’s had trouble functioning pro- perly since the accident and now takes buses.

“I feel so bad. I quit driving. My remorse is vecy, very deep,” Vanterberghe said.

The trial continues today.

Controversial sign bylaw receives mixed reaction

THE DRAFT for a JSong- awaited new sign bylaw received mixed reaction from both the public and North Vancouver City Council when it was pres- ented at a policy committee meeting last Monday even- ing.

By Layne Christensen Contributing Writer

The controversial bylaw — which would replace a bylaw dating back to 1960 -- was called both ‘‘offensive’? and ‘‘in- complete’? by members of the public who spoke out at meeting.

‘“‘Nobody questions that we need a new sign bylaw ... but the one you have before you is in- complete,"” said Don Hickley, a city planner with Vancouver City for 18 years and a member of the policy committee.

“There are lots of missing components, and there are many little details that need to be at- tended to.”’

Some of the key areas of signage regulation outlined in the

CL NORTH VANCOUVER CITY COUNCIL

draft bylaw include:

@ maximum heights and sizes of signs — not restricted under the current bylaw but clearly spelled out in the new one;

@ movable or portable signs — would not be permitted:

@ rooftop signs those ex- ceeding one metre (3.3 feet) in height would be prohibited;

@ electronic signs — would be permitted only in conjunction with another form of signage and then would be limited to 30% of total sige area,

Representatives from both the North Vancouver Chamber of Commerce and the B.C, Electrical Sign Association presented letters to council outlining their concerns about the draft byiaw.

Tne receipt of these letters ‘‘at the 11th hour,’’ said Coun. Rod Clark, showed there was ‘‘some disenchantment with the process as it has evolved.’”’

Council is expected to consider the proposed bylaw on Dec. 14, after receiving a follow-up report from staff.

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