Fatal crash victim named

Update -- July 2

Barbara Lynn Garrett, 69 of Penticton has been identified by the BC Coroners Service as the victim of a vehicle collision in Peachland on June 26.

Garrett was the driver and sole occupant of a car that crashed with a semi-trailer on Highway 97 South about 300 metres south of Trepanier Bench Road. Garrett died at the scene.

The BC Coroners Service and RCMP Traffic Services continue to investigate this death.

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Update -- 6:35 p.m.

The highway has reopened in both directions.

Update -- 2 p.m. 

RCMP at the scene have confirmed to Castanet that one person is dead following a crash this afternoon near Peachland. 

Sgt. Wade Seversen of the Kelowna RCMP says the female victim was driving the SUV.

"A northbound SUV driven by a woman collided head-on with a southbound semi-trailer driven by a man on Highway 97 south, near Trepanier Bench Road. The woman driving the SUV is deceased and the man driving the semi-trailer had minor injuries. There were no passengers."

The highway will be closed for several hours while Central Okanagan Traffic Services continues the investigation.

Traffic is being re-routed around the scene up Trepanier Road and onto the Okanagan Connector.

The identity of the deceased is being withheld pending notification of next of kin. 

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Original story -- June 26

A horrific scene on Highway 97 near Trepanier Road in Peachland resulting from a head on collision.

A semi and a red SUV collided head on sometime around the noon hour Thursday.

Castanet News Director, Trevor Rockliffe is on the scene.

"The SUV has a tarp over it right now and there is debris all over the road," says Rockliffe.

"Traffic is being rerouted up Trepanier and along the bottom of Peachland because Highway 97 is closed."

More details to come.

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