Accidents keep police jumping

Two people are in critical condition in hospital after a series of unrelated accidents Wednesday evening in Vernon.

The first incident occurred just after 10 p.m., when a pedestrian was hit by a vehicle in the 3100 block of 32nd Street.

"A 54-year-old Vernon man was attempting to cross 32nd Street when he was hit by a southbound vehicle. The male was thrown up on to the vehicle and sustained serious injuries as a result," says RCMP spokesman, Gord Molendyk.

"He was taken to Vernon hospital and then transferred to Kelowna, where he remains in critical condition in intensive care with head and chest injuries."

Molendyk says while police were at the first scene, a second call came in at about 11:15 with a report of a serious accident at the intersection of 27th Street and 48th Avenue.

A northbound Dodge pick-up failed to stop for the red light and collided with an eastbound Chevrolet van. The female passenger of the van was trapped and had to be freed using the Jaws of Life."

Molendyk says the woman remains in hospital in critical condition.

He says alcohol appears to be a factor in the accident.

Molendyk says a man faces charges of impaired driving after a third incident in the Alexis Park Drive area shortly before 1 a.m. Thursday.

He says an officer heard a broadcast of a possible impaired driver and noticed a similar vehicle in the area.

"The car was going slow, so the officer slowed down and pulled over to let the vehicle go by him so he could observe the actions of the driver. The next thing the officer knew, the suspect vehicle drove into the back of the police vehicle."

Molendyk says no one was injured in the accident.