Teacher struck by minivan after pranksters egg his home
Posted March 14, 2012 6:02 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Police are searching for a minivan driver after a high school teacher suffered serious leg and back injuries in a hit-and-run in Rexdale on Wednesday morning.
Michael Stewart, 39, ran out to the end of his driveway on Barford Road to confront some kids who had thrown eggs at his house when he was hit by a light-coloured minivan around 12:35 a.m.
The victim is a physical education teacher at Sir John A. Macdonald Collegiate Institute in Scarborough.
Neighbours say this isn’t the first time Stewart’s home and others on the street have been targeted.
“My house got egged, along with other houses in the neighbourhood…Last time, my mom actually went outside, and what if that were to happen to her,” said 17-year-old neighbour Andre.
The victim underwent surgery later Wednesday morning. Police say they aren’t sure he’ll walk again.
“I can’t believe someone would actually do this to him,” his neighbour Paul Silva said.
Stewart’s students are stunned by the news.
“Kinda shocking,” said student Jordan.
“I don’t know why anyone would do that. He’s a really good guy.”
“I hope that he comes back to school, and I hope that he recovers and everything,” said Neven.
Traffic services investigators are now trying to track down the van, which has front-end damage and a broken tinted window.
“They need to surrender themselves to the police,” Sgt. Collin Kay told CityNews. “This is a very serious matter. It’s going to be investigated. My belief is eventually they will be caught. There’s no doubt.”
Anyone with information is asked to call police at (416) 808-1900 or Crime Stoppers at (416) 222-TIPS.
CORRECTION: A previous version of this story incorrectly spelled the victim’s name.
