With thousands of people expected in Port Dover, for Friday the 13th celebrations, Ontario Provincial Police hope somebody will help them figure out how Chad Everets died at a previous gathering.
Every time Friday the 13th rolls around, tens of thousands of motorcycles and motorcycle enthusiasts head to the town on the shore of Lake Erie for a celebration.
But several hours after the May 13, 2011 edition of the affair ended, Everets – a 20-year-old from Port Hope – was hit and killed by a vehicle while walking down Cockshutt Road just north of town.
The vehicle was never found, no suspects were identified and no arrests were made.
With many of the same motorcyclists expected in town Friday, OPP papered Port Dover with posters and fliers looking for information on the vehicle and who may have been behind the wheel.
“Somebody knows something about this investigation,” says Const. Ed Sanchuk.
“This is not a cold case. This is an active investigation. We’re currently following up on a number of tips received from the public.”
The province has issued a $50,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction in the case.
Everets’ mother, Lynn Everets, tells CTV News she’s been at every Friday the 13th gathering since the event started in 1981, but May 2011 was the first time she brought Chad and her daughter as adults.
Since then, she hasn’t missed a Friday the 13th – but she’s spent less time looking at motorcycles and more time trying to find out what happened to her son.
“All I want to know is the truth,” she says.
“Who killed my son? Who left him there lying on the road? Who could do something like that?”
Based on paint chip evidence, OPP say it’s possible Everets was hit by two vehicles.
Investigators believe one vehicle could be a Chevrolet, Oldsmobile or Pontiac from the 2000 to 2003 model years, while the second could be a Ford or Mercury from 1984 to 1994.
Both vehicles are believed to be silver, beige or metallic in colour.
