Hope Search and Rescue (HSAR), along with members of the Hope RCMP and Fraser Valley Traffic Services, responded to a two-vehicle collision on Monday afternoon on Highway 5, just north of the Highway 3/5 junction.
A 1994 Toyota 4Runner was driving north bound on Highway 5, when it allegedly crossed into the fast lane. As the vehicle, driven by a 51-year-old female, crossed into the lane it was “t-boned” by a 2014 Toyota Tundra truck. The Tundra, driven by a 25-year-old man, with one female passenger, collided with the driver’s side of the 4Runner, causing significant damage to the driver’s side of the vehicle.
The driver of the 4Runner was trapped and Hope Search and Rescue used “jaws of life” to remove her from the vehicle. She was transported by helicopter to a regional hospital and is being treated for serious, but non-life threatening injuries. The driver and passenger of the Tundra were transported to a local hospital by ambulance with less serious, non-life threatening injuries.
According to police, it appears a combination of driver distraction and speed may have been contributing factors in this collision on Dec. 8. The RCMP will have the vehicles mechanically inspected for their road-worthiness at the time of the collision. Fraser Valley Traffic Services is continuing their investigation. Anyone that may have witnessed the collision and has not yet spoken to police is asked to contact the lead investigator, Const. Gregory Leche, at 604-702-4039.
HSAR was also called out by RCMP on Dec. 5, at about 5:30 p.m., for a single vehicle accident on Highway 1, five kilometres north of Boston Bar. The overturned vehicle was reportedly in a ditch with possible trapped occupants. However, while on route, the call was cancelled. Earlier in the day, at about 10 a.m., a rescue crew was called by B.C. Ambulance Service to assist with another single vehicle accident on Highway 1 near Emory Creek. Extrication equipment was used to remove the occupants from the vehicle. HSAR assisted loading a person into the ambulance before leaving the scene.