Charge after hwy crash

Photo: Getty Images

UPDATE: 9:25 a.m.

Vernon RCMP say a driver, who is alleged to have been drinking, is facing penalties under the BC Motor Vehicle Act after a collision on Highway 6 Wednesday night that closed the road for more than two hours and caused a fuel spill. 

On Feb. 15th, at approximately 11 p.m., officers were called to a two-vehicle collision on Highway 6, just east of Aberdeen Road.

"A red Chevrolet pickup truck was headed west when it crossed the centre line and struck an eastbound Kenworth dump truck. The pickup veered off the road and ended up on its roof," said Const. Jocelyn Noseworthy, RCMP spokesperson.

Noseworthy said the 50-year-old male pickup truck driver was unhurt as were the two men in the dump truck – the driver, 26, and a 49-year-old passenger.

"During the officers interaction with the driver of the pickup at the collision scene, they detected signs of possible alcohol intoxication. As a result a demand was made of the driver to provided samples of his breath roadside," said Noseworthy. "The man was subsequently issued a three-day Immediate Roadside Prohibition."

The pickup truck was impounded and the dump truck was towed due to a damaged fuel tank.

Crews from the Ministry of Environment and JPW Road and Bridge were cleaning up to 500 litres of spilled diesel Thursday morning following the crash, said Coldstream Fire Chief Dave Sturgeon.

Police are asking witnesses to the crash to contact the Vernon/North Okanagan RCMP at 250-545-7171. Or remain anonymous by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477

UPDATE: 8:30 a.m.

Crews from the Ministry of Environment and JPW Road and Bridge were cleaning up a big fuel spill Thursday morning following a two-vehicle crash on Highway 6, a kilometre east of Aberdeen Road.

"A gravel truck collided with a pickup truck," said Coldstream Fire Chief Dave Sturgeon.

Emergency crews were called out just after 11 p.m. and stayed at the scene until 3 a.m. – with the highway closed for over two hours, Sturgeon said.

The pickup rolled over a bank while the gravel truck headed into the high side ditch.

While no one was seriously injured, Sturgeon said the fuel tank on the gravel truck "split open spilling 500 litres of diesel fuel."

Sturgeon said the contaminated earth will be removed by cleanup crews.

Highway 6 was closed overnight east of Coldstream due to a car crash.

Details of the incident are unknown at this time, but the crash was reported about 11 p.m.

The highway was closed in both directions five kilometres east of Coldstream, DriveBc reports, but traffic was able to detour via Kal Lake Rd. 

The road was reported reopened as of 2 a.m.