Mr Whittle was the programme coordinator of the Paramedic Program at Algonquin College in Ottawa, where he had taught for 34 years. The coroner did not think there were any comments or recommendations that could usefully be made, nor would it serve public interest to have Mr Whittle’s death looked at by some other investigative body. Mr Kay said it was possible Mr Whittle could have been distracted by the striking scenery. He accepted pathologist Dr Martin Sage’s opinion that Mr Whittle’s death was caused by a mid-cervical spinal traumatic fracture with spinal cord crush. Mr Kay prohibited the publication of photographs of Mr Whittle.

Source: Otago Daily Times August 10, 2021 03:45 UTC