Four taken to hospital following six vehicle crash on Highway 1 west of Sicamous

A tractor trailer flipped and slid down the highway about 10 km west of Sicamous yesterday, July 15, hitting another semi, three pick-up trucks and an SUV while spilling its load of groceries.

The accident happened at about 6:30 p.m. yesterday, July 15, when the westbound truck crossed a double solid line into the oncoming lane on the Trans-Canada Highway, according to an RCMP media release. Skid marks show the brakes were slammed on before it crossed the line and extended for about 50 metres. It then flipped and slid another 50 metres before stopping, hitting the other vehicles that were eastbound.

The driver of the flipped semi and three others were taken to hospital with what are believed to be non-life threatening injuries, according to an RCMP news release.

The highway was closed in both directions for some time but is now open.

The 32-year-old driver of the flipped semi, who is from Calgary, has been charged with crossing a double solid line.

“Although no evidence was found to suggest that impairment was a factor in the crash, investigators suspect speed may have been a contributing factor to the collision,” the news release reads. “Weather, road conditions, and visibility were all excellent at the time of the collision.”

This accident happened on a narrow two-lane section of the highway, with a steep drop off on one side and a rock wall on the other.

“It is extremely fortunate that this collision did not result in multiple fatalities considering the length the truck traveled before finally coming to a stop and the extent of the damage sustained to all the impacted vehicles,” Sgt. Murray McNeil, the Sicamous RCMP detachment commander, said in the news release.

Anyone with information on the accident who has not yet spoken to police is asked to call the Sicamous RCMP at 250-836-2878.

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