Brock councillor dies in fatal collision
Harold Lodwick, 60, was returning from a Hawaiian vacation
May 14, 2008 - 02:07
By Reka Szekely
BROCK -- Brock Township residents are mourning a local councillor who died Tuesday after his car collided with a pickup truck on a York Region road.
Ward 2 local councillor Harold Lodwick, 60, was returning from a Hawaiian vacation with his wife when the accident occurred, said Brock Mayor Larry O'Connor. His wife suffered minor injuries.
In a heartfelt message this morning, Mayor O'Connor said all members of council, past and present, will miss the Beaverton representative dearly.
"Our hearts go out to the Lodwick family and as we grieve let's not forget the many wonderful ways he touched our lives," he said.
Coun. Lodwick was serving his third term on council, after serving his first two between 1997 and 2003.
"It isn't too often that you hear about a politician that everybody just likes, but Harold was the guy," said the mayor.
Later, in an interview, Mayor O'Connor described the retired Ministry of Transportation employee as a down-to-earth man involved in many local committees.
"He wasn't the meeting sort of committee guy, he's the guy who has the truck and moves things around, gets his hands dirty," he said.
In his message, the mayor also described Coun. Lodwick as a staunch defender of Beaverton, at one point earning the nickname Harbour Harold for his love of the Beaverton harbour and his efforts to support it.
York Regional Police say Coun. Lodwick was driving northbound on Woodbine Avenue near Mount Albert Road in East Gwillimbury just before noon on Tuesday. For unknown reasons, his PT Cruiser entered the southbound lane and collided with a Ford landscaping truck. The truck tried to avoid the oncoming car, but the PT Cruiser struck the side of it. Coun. Lodwick was ejected from the car and pronounced dead on the scene.
His wife and the driver and passenger of the landscaping truck were taken to hospital and treated for minor injuries.
York Regional Const. Marina Orlovski said road conditions were clear and dry.
"Right now it's unknown reasons, that's why we're seeking witnesses to this collision," she said.
Anyone with information can contact the Collision Reconstruction Unit at 1-888-876-5423 ext. 7704 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.
Latest News
Cops close in on cocaine suspect at train stationOSHAWA -- Durham cops closed in on a drug trafficking suspect as he awaited an eastbound train Thursday morning in Oshawa, seizing more than four ounces of cocaine.Members...
Police seek suspect in jewelry theftPICKERING -- Police are hoping the release of security camera images will help them nab a suspect in a theft from the Pickering Town Centre. The suspect snatched a valuable ...
Body of missing Whitby man foundWHITBY -- The body of a Whitby man reported missing earlier this week has been found in a wooded area in northern Clarington. Durham police issued an appeal Wednesday for ...
College classes set to go on TuesdayDURHAM -- Even if Durham College's support staff hit the picket lines on Tuesday, classes are set to start. The Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) represents 6,500...
Zoom shutdown sends travel agencies scramblingDURHAM -- Travel agencies across the region are left up in the air after carrier Zoom Airlines suspended operations Thursday and filed for credit protection. Hundreds of ...
Students below average in Durham?DURHAM -- The Durham District School Board is one of 10 in the province with below-average student achievement, says a new report. The report, released by the C.D. Howe ...
Stanley Tippett audio now onlineCLARINGTON -- Clips of an audiotaped interview with accused kidnapper Stanley Tippett are now available on newsdurhamregion.com (See related media beneath the google map on ...
Great weekend for swimmingDURHAM -- The long weekend will be a great time to take a dip in local waters as only two of Durham's 15 public beaches are tagged as unfit for swimming. In the final set of ...
Perrin Beatty named university's chancellorDURHAM -- The University of Ontario Institute of Technology's new chancellor is Perrin Beatty, the "ultimate Canadian statesman." The weather was grey and windy ...
College staff strike loomsDURHAM -- College support staff are still at the bargaining table as a Sept. 1 strike date looms. There's not much information to be had on exactly how those negotiations are ...