Elderly man killed in crash on Highway 97 near Peachland

An elderly driver has died after his vehicle crashed into a concrete divider on Highway 97 near Peachland and went into Okanagan Lake last night.

The B.C. Ambulance Service reported  a single-vehicle accident where the vehicle went off the road into Lake Okanagan at roughly 10:15 p.m., March 24. The accident occurred on Highway 97 in the Antler Beach area.

West Kelowna RCMP officers found a white Subaru Forester upside down and partially submerged in the lake. The vehicle's driver, an elderly man and only occupant, had died, according to an RCMP news release.

The vehicle was travelling southbound on Highway 97 when it hit a concrete divider on the right front bumper and drove into the water.

Two witnesses who were the first on scene broke the driver's side window as they attempted to extract the man from the vehicle but where unsuccessful, according to the RCMP.

The event is under investigation by the B.C. Coroners Service and the West Kelowna RCMP. The RCMP is not releasing the man's identity.

The RCMP are asking that if anyone witnessed this incident who have not yet spoken with investigators or has dash cams and was traveling on the highway in the area during this event to contact the West Kelowna RCMP at 250-768-2880.


To contact a reporter for this story, email Carli Berry or call 250-864-7494 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.

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Carli Berry

Carli Berry has been telling stories in the Okanagan for the past three years and after finding her footing in the newspaper industry, joined the Infonews team in January 2020. Recipient of the 2019 MA Murray award for feature writing, Carli is passionate about stories that involve housing, business and the environment. Born on Vancouver Island, she is happy to say Okanagan Lake reminds, her slightly, of the ocean. Carli can be reached at (250) 864-7494 or email cberry@infonews.ca.