Photo: Contributed - Nick Roberts

Serious accident on Hwy. 97

July 2, 2013 - update: Emergency crews and an air ambulance were called to a section of Highway 97 on Sunday, following a two-vehicle accident.

RCMP say a Dodge van and a Ford F-350 truck were involved in a serious crash around 2:30 p.m., when the van crossed a double solid line and collided with a southbound truck.

The driver of the van was trapped with a broken leg and a concussion, and needed the Vernon Fire Department to free him from the wreck. The 25-year-old man was eventually air lifted to hospital in Kelowna.

Officers are continuing their investigation to determine if drugs or alcohol was involved. 

A man was airlifted to hospital Sunday afternoon after a two vehicle accident on Highway 97, about 17km south of Falkland.

The highway between Kamloops and Vernon was shut down for over an hour while emergency crews worked to free the driver.

Pam Roberts provided first aid to the injured male.

"The man was coherent, but he was hard to understand and his legs were trapped. They had to use the jaws of life to get him out."

Roberts says it appears the man crossed the centre line smashing into an oncoming vehicle. The force of the impact flipped the other vehicle onto its side in a ditch.

"There were two people in the flipped vehicle, they were able to get out and and walk around."

Traffic was backed up for several kilometres in both directions.

The highway was reopened just before 4:30 p.m.

Photo: Contributed - Nick Roberts

Emergency crews use the jaws of life to free a man from his wrecked van Sunday afternoon on Hwy. 97.