Hamilton man arrested at Toronto airport in connection with traffic fatality

A 34-year-old Hamilton man was arrested by police at Toronto's Pearson airport July 26, and charged with failure to stop after an accident resulting in death.

The arrest on Tuesday was connected to a fatal collision that happened just after 2 a.m. on the Mountain on April 8. Glen Clark, 42, was struck and killed by a pickup truck on Upper Wentworth Street north of the Lincoln Alexander Parkway.

At the time, it was the ninth traffic fatality in Hamilton this year, according to a news release from police.

Hamilton police charged Omar Bataineh, who was allegedly operating the pickup truck, according to the release. The arrest comes three months after a warrant had been issued.

Police said the investigation revealed that Bataineh had left the country.

He will appear in court on Aug. 29.

A recent Spectator analysis showed that since April 1 there has been an average of at least one crash per week involving motorists and pedestrians or cyclists in Hamilton.

The pattern has sparked outrage from community activists and politicians, including Hamilton Centre MP Matthew Green, who said it is a public safety crisis."

Police ask any member of the public with information about the April 8 collision to contact Det. Const. Wesley Wilson at 905-546-4753.

To provide information anonymously, call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or visit crimestoppershamilton.com.

Reach The Spectator newsroom at 905-526-3420 or news@thespec.com