LACHLAN LABERE
Black Press
NEAR REVELSTOKE — A four-vehicle crash on the Trans-Canada Highway east of Revelstoke Monday morning claimed the life of a truck driver, RCMP confirmed.
In a news release, RCMP Cpl. Mike Wasylenki of Trans-Canada East Traffic Services says a semi-trailer truck headed westbound lost control and crossed the centre line, crashing head-on into an eastbound semi-trailer truck.
The driver of the eastbound semi, a 51-year-old B.C. man, died as a result of the crash, while the driver and passenger in the westbound truck were seriously injured.
The westbound driver was reportedly taken away by air ambulance.
A third semi-trailer truck heading eastbound collided with the crash scene, while an SUV was also involved in the crash and was left with front-end damage. The drivers of both those vehicles experienced minor injuries, police say.
Nathan Hayhurst was stuck on the highway metres from the crash scene. He was heading westbound on Highway 1 between Golden and Revelstoke when he came across the violent accident scene, about 50 kilometres east of Revelstoke.
“The first indication that I saw was the plume of smoke,” said Hayhurst, who is a semi driver with 20 years of experience under his belt.
“The scene is sombre. There was a bunch of us up there seeing what we could do and it was sombre. It is sad. It makes you sad and it makes you mad.”
Hayhurst said this is the third fatal accident he has been right behind in a matter of days.
“It is horrifying,” said Hayhurst.
RCMP were investigating the accident at press time.