Coroner Blames Victim in Orion's Death

By Elvis Glazier - Wednesday March 24, 2010 - In a report released yesterday by Coroner Mark Coleman speed and intoxication were cited as contributing factors in the motorcycle death of 21 year old Tsawwassen native Orion Hutchinson.

The accident occurred the evening of Oct. 25, 2008 when Orion's motorcycle collided with a Jeep driven by Monty Robinson, an off duty RCMP officer who was one of the four RCMP officers involved in the tasering death of Polish immigrant Robert Dziekanski at the Vancouver International Airport.

The coroner's report included a toxicology analysis of Hutchinson's blood that put his blood/alcohol level over the legal limit. In British Columbia the legal limit is 0.08% or 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood.

"Speed and alcohol intoxication on the part of Mr. Hutchinson were contributing factors," Coleman wrote.

The engineering investigation of the accident states that Orion Hutchinson may have been traveling between 66 and 96 km/h while Officer Monty Robinson was in the range of 24 and 29km/h when he made a fateful left turn that resulted in the collision.

Coleman goes on to say,"Alcohol intoxication on the part of the driver of the Jeep is also believed to be a contributing factor. I classify this death as accidental and make no recommendation."

Witness accounts have the off duty RCMP officer leaving the scene of the accident to walk to his mother's house with his two children after giving his driver's license to a bystander. The Delta Police Department who's jurisdiction the accident took place in reported Robinson's breath samples were between .12 and .10% blood/alcohol level. Levels Robinson claims were the result of drinking two shots of vodka when he returned home prior to providing the Delta Police with breath samples.

Robinson was never charged with drunk driving in spite of recommendations by the Delta Police. Prosecutors felt the evidence was insufficient to secure a conviction for drunk driving and dangerous driving causing death. However, Robinson is facing charges on attempting to obstruct justice due to his actions proceeding the accident.

Robinson entered a plea of not guilty through his lawyer and the preliminary trial will start on April 18, 2011.