Dennis Hunter, his ex-wife Rhonda Simpkins and their two children, are pictured here around 2011. Simpkins says the punishment for the VPD officer who pleaded guilty to speeding when he struck Hunter with his vehicle in 2022 is 'nothing' compared to the serious injuries her ex-husband has suffered.
The family of a man hit by a speeding Vancouver police vehicle in the Downtown Eastside says the guilty officer's punishment — a $2,000 fine — is "nothing" compared to how severely the 2022 collision altered Dennis Hunter's life.Dennis Hunter, his ex-wife Rhonda Simpkins and their two children pictured around 2011.
But she said the most devastating impact has been the mental and emotional toll for the 53-year-old, who is homeless and now struggling with anxiety and paranoia and has trouble sleeping. In court, Zhao said he accepted full responsibility for his actions and that the collision will "haunt" him for the rest of his life. VPD confirmed Wednesday he remains an active member.
But Simpkins said the Crown's decision not to criminally charge Zhao and to stay the two motor vehicle charges related to Hunter's injuries indicates police are held to a lower standard than the law they are sworn to uphold. The Independent Investigations Office of B.C. is investigating the collision on East Hastings near Dunlevy Avenue just after midnight on Tuesday, which it says left a man with serious injuries.
The Downtown Eastside has some of the most dangerous intersections in the province for pedestrians, with the worst being Main and East Hastings, according to data from ICBC.The speed limit along that stretch of East Hastings was lowered to 30 km/h in 2011 in response to a community safety campaign. The city says it reduced the number of fatal collisions by 25 per cent and injuring collisions by 25 per cent within five years of the change.
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