West Kelowna

Two people escaped serious injury when the motorcycle they were riding on crashed near Gorman's Mill in West Kelowna Saturday.

West Kelowna Assistant Fire Chief Kerry Klonteig says the crash occurred around 5:00 p.m. in the southbound lanes of Highway 97, near the turtle pond by the mill.

Emails to Castanet say the incident appeared to be very serious, but Klonteig says it looked worse than it was.

"It was a bike that had two riders on it and apparently they hit a marmot and spilled. It seemed like it was going to be a nasty one, but it actually was on the better end of things."

One person reported seeing what appeared to be two people laying on the ground and other people trying to help them.

Another writer says someone was being removed from the crash site on a stretcher, and a third says southbound traffic came to a standstill as emergency crews tended to the scene.

Klonteig says the riders were left scraped and bruised, and were transported by ambulance to Kelowna General Hospital.

Shortly after that incident, a single vehicle crash forced the closure of Highway 5 just south of Merritt.

That crash occurred around 5:45 p.m., when a car lost control near a corner and left the highway, coming to a rest on the side of a hill.

The vehicle was heavily damaged in the roll-over, the condition of the driver is unknown.

If you witnessed these crashes or have pictures, please email news@castanet.net.

Crash closes Hwy 97C-July 14, 2012

Photo: Contributed

Emergency crews responded to a single vehicle roll-over on Hwy 97C late Saturday afternoon.

Photo: Contributed

Traffic came to a standstill after the crash on the Connector.

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