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Osprey Media. - St. Catharines Standard
Maid of the Mist employees 'walking around in a daze' following co-worker's death
By GRANT LaFLECHE
Local News - Friday, April 27, 2007 Updated @ 8:05:39 PM
The crews preparing the Maid of Mist boats for the upcoming tourist season went about their work in a fog Friday.
“It is very difficult for us,” said Emil Bende, general manager of marine operations for Maid of the Mist. “Everyone is just walking around in a daze.”
It was the death of 23-year-old Jessica Cormier Thursday that stunned Bende and his staff. An employee of the Maid of the Mist since 2004, Cormier was struck and killed by a car on the Niagara Street overpass.
Around 7:15 a.m. Thursday, the New Brunswick native was walking on the overpass sidewalk to a car pool that was to take her to work.
Niagara Regional Police say a black car driving north on Niagara Street mounted the sidewalk at the point where the sidewalk slopes to meet the road.
It struck Cormier head on and she was thrown over the guard rail onto Dunkirk Road some 12 metres bellow.
Cormier, who moved to Niagara from New Brunswick five years ago, was pronounced dead at the scene.
The driver of the car fled, continuing north on Niagara Street, according to police.
Thursday night, acting on a tip, police seized a black car from a home at 21 Winnifred Ave. and believe it is the vehicle that struck Cormier.
Bende said Cormier was an excellent employee.
“She was never late, always pleasant and did her job well, that is why we always brought her back each year,” he said. “She was well liked by her co-workers.”
Cormier worked at Maid of the Mist handing out rain ponchos and taking tickets. At this time of year, she would help prepare the boats for the upcoming season.
On Friday, police continued to ask any witnesses to come forward. In a new release issued Friday morning, police asked the driver of the car to “contact a lawyer and turn himself in to any district of the Niagara Regional Police.”
Police spokesman Const. Neal Orlando said investigators would not say if an arrest warrant had been issued in the case.
Nor could he release any information regarding the owner of the black car seized on Winnifred Avenue. He did say the car was not reported stolen.
The Standard contacted Larry Hendsbee, a resident at 21 Winnifred where the car was found by police.
Hendsbee said he didn’t know anything about the accident and that the black car was not his.
“I don’t know anything about it. It might have something to do with my son,” he said.
Hendsbee said he had not spoken to his son since Thursday. When asked if police were looking for his son, Hendsbee said, “Of course, what do you think?”
Police are asking anyone with information about the accident that caused Cormier’s death to call them at 905-688-4111, ext. 5500, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.glafleche@stcatharinesstandard.ca
Maid of the Mist employees 'walking around in a daze' following co-worker's death
By GRANT LaFLECHE
Local News - Friday, April 27, 2007 Updated @ 8:05:39 PM
The crews preparing the Maid of Mist boats for the upcoming tourist season went about their work in a fog Friday.
“It is very difficult for us,” said Emil Bende, general manager of marine operations for Maid of the Mist. “Everyone is just walking around in a daze.”
It was the death of 23-year-old Jessica Cormier Thursday that stunned Bende and his staff. An employee of the Maid of the Mist since 2004, Cormier was struck and killed by a car on the Niagara Street overpass.
Around 7:15 a.m. Thursday, the New Brunswick native was walking on the overpass sidewalk to a car pool that was to take her to work.
Niagara Regional Police say a black car driving north on Niagara Street mounted the sidewalk at the point where the sidewalk slopes to meet the road.
It struck Cormier head on and she was thrown over the guard rail onto Dunkirk Road some 12 metres bellow.
Cormier, who moved to Niagara from New Brunswick five years ago, was pronounced dead at the scene.
The driver of the car fled, continuing north on Niagara Street, according to police.
Thursday night, acting on a tip, police seized a black car from a home at 21 Winnifred Ave. and believe it is the vehicle that struck Cormier.
Bende said Cormier was an excellent employee.
“She was never late, always pleasant and did her job well, that is why we always brought her back each year,” he said. “She was well liked by her co-workers.”
Cormier worked at Maid of the Mist handing out rain ponchos and taking tickets. At this time of year, she would help prepare the boats for the upcoming season.
On Friday, police continued to ask any witnesses to come forward. In a new release issued Friday morning, police asked the driver of the car to “contact a lawyer and turn himself in to any district of the Niagara Regional Police.”
Police spokesman Const. Neal Orlando said investigators would not say if an arrest warrant had been issued in the case.
Nor could he release any information regarding the owner of the black car seized on Winnifred Avenue. He did say the car was not reported stolen.
The Standard contacted Larry Hendsbee, a resident at 21 Winnifred where the car was found by police.
Hendsbee said he didn’t know anything about the accident and that the black car was not his.
“I don’t know anything about it. It might have something to do with my son,” he said.
Hendsbee said he had not spoken to his son since Thursday. When asked if police were looking for his son, Hendsbee said, “Of course, what do you think?”
Police are asking anyone with information about the accident that caused Cormier’s death to call them at 905-688-4111, ext. 5500, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.glafleche@stcatharinesstandard.ca