Former TTC Employee Recalls Horror Of Subway Pushing Incident During Trial
Posted September 14, 2010 6:53 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
A former TTC employee’s frantic 911 call was played in court Tuesday during the trial of a man accused of pushing two teens onto the subway tracks.
Russell Cormier breathlessly pleaded for help during the call.
“I need the Metro police. I’m a TTC operator (at) Bloor and Danforth going south. I caught a guy, he pushed kids off a platform in front of a train. He pushed kids in front of a subway. They’re kids on the platform, he pushed them in front of the train. Please, get the police here.”
Cormier made the call as he was following, Adenir De Oliveria, the man accused of pushing the teens.
Incredibly both survived. One however, had to have several toes amputated, and both suffered serious psychological trauma.
Cormier was haunted by the experience. He cried in court when he heard the tape of his 911 call, saying he didn’t know at the time that the boys had survived.
He also testified that he heard De Oliveria tell police that he ‘tried to get help, he went to the doctor, and the hospital, he tried to get medication but no one would help him.’
Cormier and other witnesses following the suspect as he walked away from the Dufferin subway station. Police arrested him a short time later.
The defense admits the accused pushed the two boys. The purpose of the trial is to determined whether Adenir de Oliveira is criminally responsible.
Cormier admits it was hard to see the suspect again.
“It was very emotional, just reliving it and rethinking about everything that happened that day.”
After the incident Cormier had a nervous breakdown and turned to drugs and alcohol. He is now sober and trying to turn his life around.
