Police allege fleeing driver fatally hit conservation officer in Saskatchewan

SASKATOON – A Saskatchewan conservation officer who stopped to help first responders deal with a highway crash has died after being hit by a driver who was allegedly fleeing police.

RCMP say two Saskatchewan conservation officers stopped to help control traffic following a two-vehicle collision on Highway 11 south of Saskatoon late Friday afternoon.

While they were still at the scene, police say they received a report of a black SUV that was driving erratically and heading north toward the crash scene.

Police say traffic was lined up along the highway, and when an RCMP officer approached a vehicle matching the description of the SUV, it sped off.

Police say it continued through the crash scene and hit one of the two conservation officers who died at the scene.

Mounties chased the SUV, but say they didn’t catch it until it reached Saskatoon and rolled into a ditch.

Police say the driver is a 35-year-old man from Saskatoon who was arrested on suspicion of impaired driving.

He is in police custody and investigators say charges are pending.

Police haven’t released the name of the conservation officer who was killed, but say he was 23 and was from Watson, Sask.