Former Ontario attorney general Michael Bryant has been charged with criminal negligence causing death after a 33-year-old cyclist, Darcy Allan Sheppard was struck and killed last night.He was also charged with dangerous operation of a vehicle causing death.
Friends identified the victim as bicycle courier Darcy Allan Sheppard, father of three.
Bryant, 43, spent the night and morning in custody. He stared straight ahead as he left the Traffic Services police station at about 2:30 p.m. today, amid the flash of cameras and buzz of reporters' questions.
Just after 5 p.m. today, more than a dozen cyclists blocked traffic on Bloor St., laying down their bikes at the spot where Sheppard died, chanting "murder."
The cyclists, mostly couriers, brought traffic in both directions to a standstill between Unviersity Ave. and Bay St. They also taunted motorists, yelling at them to turn around and give them space to mourn their friend.
Sheppard's girlfriend Misty arrived and laid down flowers.
The cyclists dispersed at around 6:10 p.m. and traffic resumed.
Sheppard, who was called Al by friends, was likely heading to his new home in the Dupont and Dufferin Sts. area at the time of the incident, friends said. They said Sheppard had just got back together with his on-again-off-again girlfriend, Misty, and had said he wanted to marry her.
Bryant was Ontario's youngest-ever attorney general, serving throughout the McGuinty government's first four-year term.
Bryant legalized paralegals, fixed election dates, banned pit bulls, overhauled the human rights system, re-created the Law Reform Commission, re-established civilian oversight of police and depoliticized Justice of the Peace appointments.
Bryant, who also served as aboriginal affairs minister, stepped down as Ontario's economic development minister in May to become president and CEO of the new Invest Toronto corporation chaired by Mayor David Miller.
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