Serious crash on Highway 97 sends 2 people to hospital: RCMP
Mounties are investigating a serious crash on Highway 97 in Kelowna, B.C., that sent two people to hospital late Wednesday night.
In a news release Thursday, Kelowna RCMP said an officer was on routine patrols just before midnight when they spotted a black Mercedes travelling “well under the posted speed limit” and “unable to maintain lanes” south on the highway near Ellison Lake.
“The officer attempted to stop the vehicle, which then fled at a dangerously high rate of speed,” Const. Mike Della-Paolera said in the release. “For officer and public safety, no pursuit was initiated and the officer pulled over.”
RCMP lost sight of the vehicle but shortly afterwards came across a large dust cloud and debris at the John Hindle Drive off-ramp, which merges with Highway 97.
“The officer located the same Mercedes over the embankment in a ditch a significant distance from the highway. The officer then located an ejected passenger who had significant injuries and the driver who was trapped and required assistance to exit the heavily-damaged vehicle,” said Della-Paolera.
Both the driver and passenger were taken to a nearby hospital in serious but stable condition.
The highway is expected to remain closed for some time as Mounties continue their investigation.
“This collision is a prime example of the dangers of excessive speeding on British Columbia roadways,” Della-Paolera added. “These two individuals are extremely lucky to have survived and have a long, difficult recovery ahead.”
Anyone who witnessed the crash or has dash cam video of the area is asked to contact Kelowna RCMP at 250-762-3300 and reference file number 2023-30191.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Ottawa pizzeria places among top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world at international competition
An Ottawa pizzeria is being recognized as one of the top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world.
'My family doctor just fired me': Ontario patients frustrated with de-rostering
Dozens of Ontarians are expressing frustration in the province’s health-care system after their family doctors either dropped them as patients or threatened to after they sought urgent care elsewhere.
Canada Post cracks down on Nunavut loophole to get free Amazon Prime shipping
Amazon's paid subscription service provides free delivery for online shopping across Canada except for remote locations, the company said in an email. While customers in Iqaluit qualify for the offer, all other communities in Nunavut are excluded.
Suspect sought after fatal slashing in downtown Toronto
Police are searching for a suspect in a homicide investigation after a man was slashed in downtown Toronto on Sunday.
Mother's Day movies that pull at ALL the heartstrings
This Mother's Day Weekend, take a look at some of the most emotional movies inspired by moms.
Putin replaces Russian defence minister in rare cabinet shakeup
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin began a Cabinet shakeup on Sunday, proposing the replacement of Sergei Shoigu as defence minister as he begins his fifth term in office.
Edibles, armchairs and adapters: Here are the recalls for this week
Health Canada announced various product recalls this week, including electric adapters, armchairs, cannabis edibles and vehicle components.
Wildfire near Fort McMurray more than triples overnight, several evacuation alerts remain in place
The fire burning near Fort McMurray grew from 25 hectares to 5,500 hectares over the weekend.
WATCH Dashcam video shows terrifying near-miss on two-lane northern Ontario highway
There were some scary moments for several people on a northern Ontario highway caught on video Thursday after a chain reaction following a truck fire.