R.I.P. rider
http://www.thespec.com/news-story/4149676-hwy-403-west-re-opens-after-morning-fatal-accident/
"News of the motorcyclist's death shook a Hamilton courtroom Thursday, after the judge told those gathered for the Brandon Musgrave murder trial that the man killed in the fatality was the spouse of one of the jurors.
At 11:30 a.m., just before the jury was set to enter the courtroom, Ontario Superior Court Justice James Ramsay told the room, "the accident on the 403 delayed traffic and many of us today. Unfortunately, the fellow killed is married to Juror No. 1, Ms Hancock."
As the jury then walked in to take their seats, some were crying and others appeared upset. When seated, Ramsay said to them, "You heard the news."
"I'm very sorry about this," he said — assuring them that there is nothing to stop them from giving their condolences or seeing the grieving juror.
They were then excused for the day. Hancock has been excused entirely.
Another Hwy. 403 rollover crash Thursday morning sent two people to hospital after a car collided with a tractor trailer in the eastbound lanes around 10:30 a.m.
Dense fog earlier Thursday may have contributed to these and other crashes this morning.
Around 9 a.m., three cars collided on the eastbound Hwy. 403 at Fiddler's Green Road in Ancaster.
There was another crash at the 403 eastbound off-ramp near Brant Street around 11 a.m.
With lanes closed in both directions until 3 p.m., traffic crawled through the city for the entire day.
Hamilton Police Staff Sergeant Greg Doerr said police were called in to redirect traffic at the Aberdeen Avenue off-ramp, but were not proactively redirecting cars elsewhere in the city.
"There's just not enough staff. People don't like traffic jams, but there's nothing we can do," he said.
According to the MTO, the 2010 annual average daily traffic volume on Hwy. 403 between the Main and Aberdeen exits is more than 100,000 vehicles — with no service roads.
"We will continue to be a willing partner (with Hamilton) … whenever they're willing … if they come to us, we'll still do it, there was never any intention of doing it, we just haven't heard from them," Poei said."
