Kelowna

Video: Fatal motorcycle crash

Castanet - Mar 20, 2012 / 4:34 pm | Story: 72720

Castanet's Kelly Hayes reports

Emergency crews rushed to the scene of a motorcycle accident at Cooper and 97 Tuesday afternoon around 3:30.

Witnesses say a black Jeep SUV collided with a motorcycle with two riders on board, a husband and wife. The force of the impact sent the motorcycle and riders under the back-end of a work van. Initial reports say the riders were pinned under the van until they were pulled clear.

A 59-year-old Kelowna man was killed. His 56-year-old wife was taken to hospital with undetermined injuries. No one else was injured.

RCMP say witnesses have come forward stating they believe the male driver of the SUV was on his cellphone when the accident happened.

Traffic on Highway 97 was down to a crawl, only one lane was open northbound at the beginning of rush hour causing huge delays.

An RCMP traffic analyst is on location investigating the crash.

Castanet stats show seven people have now died on roads in the central Okanagan in the last two months. This is the first person to die on a motorcycle this year.

Last year, at this time, there were no deaths from traffic accidents. By the end of the year there were 14 traffic fatalities.