By Louie Rosella
The Mississauga News
MISSISSAUGA, Canada — A Mississauga firefighter has been charged with running a red light in a March 6 crash that killed a Mississauga woman.
Peel Regional Police say Jarrett Johns, 35, of Toronto, who was driving the fire truck that was involved in the Britannia Rd. W./Rodeo Dr. collision, is scheduled to appear in court on June 16.
Kimberley Schulz, 42, who hailed from a family of firefighters, was killed in the crash, which occurred a few minutes before noon on a Sunday. The fire truck had its lights and sirens activated, as it was responding to a nearby crash, said Cst. Wayne Patterson.
None of the three firefighters on the truck were injured.
Mississauga Fire Chief John McDougall extended his condolences to Schulz’s family.
He said he’ll decide after speaking to the firefighter “face to face” whether to suspend him, pending the outcome of the case.
“I spoke with him yesterday over the phone and he is taking this very, very hard. He is hurting,” McDougall said. “Someone lost their life in the discharge of our duties and that’s unfortunate.”
McDougall didn’t rule out changes to policy or driver training procedures in the wake of the fatal crash.
“If there is something that comes out of this where we can makes changes or improvements, absolutely we will do it,” he said. “Driver training is very important to us and whatever we can do to operate as safely as we can, that’s our goal.”
Schulz’s brother, Steve Bayley, is a Toronto firefighter. Her father, Warren Bayley, is a retired Toronto firefighter.
Schulz, known to her husband and friends as “Blondie,” was returning home after playing hockey at York University. She was only steps away from fashion retailer Nygard, where she had worked part-time as a sales associate for about a year, when the crash occurred.
Her car was destroyed in the collision.
Cst. Doug Tracey, of Peel’s Major Collision Bureau, said at the time that the traffic light sensor system, which changes lights for oncoming emergency vehicles, was activated.
By law, a fire truck en route to a call must come to a complete stop at a red light before proceeding.
Paul Mitcham, City of Mississauga commissioner of community services, extended the City’s condolences to Schulz’s family and friends.
“This was a tragic motor vehicle collision,” Mitcham said in a news release. “City staff fully cooperated with Peel Regional Police in their investigation. An incident of this magnitude causes everyone at the City to ensure safety is at the forefront as we deliver services.”
Schulz loved hockey, whether she was playing or watching the sport. She was a member of both the Rexdale and Golden Blades women’s hockey leagues.
Rob Schulz declined comment today, but said in an interview last month that his wife fell in love with hockey after watching the Canadian women win Olympic gold in Salt Lake City in 2002.
He added that his wife was very close to her son, Adam, 19.
“Her relationship with her son is one that every mom would want to have with her kid and every kid would want to have with their mom,” he said. “He’s taking it very hard. His mom was his best friend.”
In addition to her part-time job, Kimberley Schulz worked full-time for a Vaughan filtration company.
Police charged Johns with failure to stop for a red light. If convicted, he faces a fine of up to $1,000.
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