Police report double-fatal accident near Moyie
By Nelson Daily Staff
RCMP said in a media release that two people and two horses died after a semi trailer collided head-on with a pickup truck early Saturday morning on Highway 3/95 west of Creston.
Police received a call at 9 a.m. Saturday (February 3) of a serious motor vehicle collision on Higheay 3/95 near Irishmen Creek outside Moyie, BC.
“Investigation revealed that a westbound tractor trailer unit had lost control on black ice, jack knifed and went into the oncoming lane, colliding head on with an east bound pickup truck, which was towing a horse trailer,” RCMP said.
“The driver of the tractor trailer unit a 59-year-old male from Edmonton was ejected and died at scene.
“The driver of the pickup truck a 51-year-old male from Cranbrook was trapped and died at scene.”
RCMP said a female passenger in the pickup truck was trapped and had to be extricated.
“She was transported to local a hospital with serious, life threatening injuries, and was later transferred to a larger area hospital by Air Ambulance,” police said. “Both horses in the trailer died.”
Police said investigators believe that contributing factors to this collision and subsequent fatalities were icy roads, driving too fast for road conditions, as well as the fact that the tractor trailer driver was not wearing a seat belt.
RCMP collision reconstructionists, and RCMP East Kootenay Traffic Services have assumed conduct of the investigation.
Highway 3/95 remained closed until at least 7 p.m. Saturday
Police are asking witnesses to this collision to contact RCMP East Kootenay Traffic Services in Cranbrook.
Anyone planning on travel local highways should consult DriveBC for updated closure and road conditions.
