Year after five-year-old killed by dump truck, Overbrook safety measures stalled
Jaxson Mansfield-O'Brey died Oct. 15, 2025 when pinned under a vehicle. Residents want speed bumps and lower limits; neither has been installed.
The day's top stories, food & events — every morning at 7. Unsubscribe anytime.
A year after five-year-old Jaxson Mansfield-O'Brey was pinned under a dump truck on Presland Road in Overbrook, the neighbourhood still lacks the safety measures residents have demanded.
Jaxson was killed October 15, 2025, just after 4 p.m., when a dump truck reversed into him. Concorde Properties Inc. and Kane Construction Group Inc. have been charged with Occupational Health and Safety Act violations; the company alleged the vehicle reversed with an obstructed operator view and no signaller present.
Residents have called for speed bumps and speed limit reductions on Presland Road. Neither has been implemented. Kathleen Sauder, who witnessed the incident and called 911, put up a handmade sign on her lawn asking drivers to slow down. "After a year, nothing's really happened," she told the Ottawa Citizen. "Like, do you want another kid to get hit before you do something?"
Neighbours describe the road as dangerous. Cody Card said he warns his children to stay cautious on Presland, observing that cars travel at high speeds daily. "You see really, really young children running around, completely unsupervised, running across the street hardly looking both ways," he said. "It's just going to happen again."
Aya Jasim, whose son attended kindergarten with Jaxson, keeps her door locked to prevent children playing on the front lawn unsupervised. Her son still asks, "When is Jaxson coming?" She told the outlet, "I am scared all summer."
The court case is ongoing and set to be heard in November. Ottawa police have not issued public updates and cited the ongoing investigation. Rideau-Rockcliffe Councillor Rawlson King, whose ward includes Overbrook, described traffic calming as "a process."
The city has not stated whether it has a timeline for any safety measures.
Has the police investigation concluded, and if so, what were the findings?
What is the current speed limit on Presland Road, and has the city considered lowering it?
What is the city's timeline for implementing speed bumps or other traffic calming measures on this street?
We'll update this story as answers emerge.
The facts
When was Jaxson Mansfield-O'Brey killed?
Jaxson Mansfield-O'Brey was killed on October 15, 2025, just after 4 p.m., when a dump truck reversed into him on Presland Road in Overbrook.
What safety measures have residents requested?
Residents have called for speed bumps and speed limit reductions on Presland Road, neither of which has been implemented.
Who has been charged in connection with the incident?
Concorde Properties Inc. and Kane Construction Group Inc. have been charged with Occupational Health and Safety Act violations. The companies are alleged to have operated the vehicle with an obstructed operator view and no signaller present.
