'We were not done with him yet': Sister of motorcyclist killed in collision opens up

As Heather Benson ran her finger along the photos of her late brother, her connection to him was obvious.

"We were not done with him yet. We had 40 more years we were supposed to get with him," she said.

Matthew Cave, 40, who was formerly named Robert Benson, died after his motorcycle collided with a van at the intersection of Portage Avenue and Home Street in Winnipeg on Saturday.

Police say the driver of the van and a passenger fled from the scene on foot after their vehicle, travelling north on Home Street, collided with the motorcycle, heading west on Portage Avenue at about 2:15 p.m. Police said the van was not reported stolen.

Early Tuesday morning, police said one man was arrested in connection with the crash. Hours later, Const. Rob Carver said the man was questioned and then released.

The crash was the second tragic event to take place in less than a month for his family.

"We're shocked," said Heather Benson. "The last time I saw him was my mother's funeral on May 4. We're not quite over my mother's death and the family took another hit."

Her brother worked in security at the Marion Hotel in St. Boniface and is a father of two children, 17 and 19 years old.

"He was very proud of his kids. He would brag about them to pretty much anybody and everybody," said Benson.

This summer, he would have celebrated his 18th wedding anniversary.

"He was the youngest of three. He was a happy baby. He came from a single-parent home. Our mom had the three of us on her own," said Benson. "She worked her butt off and made sure we were well taken care of."

"He gave my sister away at her wedding. He was very proud to do that."

Prior to news from police that an arrest was made, Benson implored the driver of the van to step forward so the family could have closure.

"Why run away?" Benson said.

Avery Ross, who worked with Cave at the Marion Hotel, said the man everyone there knew as Matt Cave was a "diplomatic" bouncer with a knack for defusing potentially violent situations.

"He was a hell of guy. I don't think I've ever heard anyone say a bad thing about him," he said. 

Vigil planned for Tuesday

Ross said he was "blown away" by the outpouring of support for their friend on the hotel's Facebook page. To pay tribute, they decided to hold a motorized vigil at 7 p.m. Tuesday, following a route from the hotel to the site of collision, then back again, with a detour around the legislature to draw attention to the dangers faced by motorcyclists in Manitoba.

"We can at least do a lap and let them know that we're tired of burying our brothers," said Ross.

"Nobody knows what really happened on the corner of Portage and Home on Saturday, but we know who didn't come home and that was our friend."

Heather Benson overwhelmed by outpouring of public support:

'He was everybody's friend': says sister of motorcyclist killed in collision

6 years ago

Duration 0:43

The sister of a man killed in a hit and run while riding his motorcycle over the weekend says the family is very grateful for the outpouring of public support. Heather Benson says she's overwhelmed by how many people knew and liked her brother Matt Cave.