An accident involving three vehicles in the early morning of Tuesday, January 3, near Wilde Road on Highway 101, caused Powell River RCMP to partially shut down the highway for four hours.
At about 6 am a 2008 Ford Ranger travelling south crossed the centre line of the highway and struck a 2004 Ford F-350 and a 1990 Suzuki Sidekick, both travelling north. After being hit, the F-350 lost control and flipped over and it and the Sidekick ended up in the ditch. The Sidekick caught on fire which spread to the F-350, according to Jim Brown, Northside Volunteer Fire Department chief. A member of the department happened to be driving on the highway at the time of the accident and stopped to help people out of the vehicles and extinguish the fire.
The drivers of the Ranger and Sidekick were taken to Powell River General Hospital for further examination. The driver of the Ranger was released but the male driver of the Sidekick was flown to Vancouver General Hospital for further examination of a head and arm injury.
The 56-year-old female driver of the Ranger blew in the “warn” range, between .05 and .08 blood-alcohol content, on a police alcohol screening device. Police issued the woman with a three-day driving prohibition. Further charges are being looked at and police will not release the driver’s name until charges are laid.
