West Kelowna

Photo: Contributed - DriveBC

Monday Feb. 4th photo taken from the webcam near the accident site.

On February 3, 2013 at approximately 6:35 pm, officers from the Fraser Valley Traffic Services responded to the report of a multi-vehicle collision on Highway 5, approximately 35 kilometres north of Hope.

Three vehicles, a 2008 Toyota, a 2008 Ford and a 2007 International commercial vehicle hauling lumber had all been southbound on Highway 5 near the Zopkis brake check.

These three vehicles subsequently collided with one another and ended up coming to rest both on the traveled portion of the roadway as well as the shoulder.

The 2 occupants of the Toyota, a 66-year-old female and a 67-year-old male from Langley were both injured.

While the two 40-year-old male occupants of the 2008 Ford from Kamloops and a 54-year-old female from West Kelowna, who had been a passenger in the commercial vehicle, exited their vehicles and rendered medical assistance to the injured.

A 2008 Chevrolet, driven by a 62-year-old male from West Kelowna, drove through the collision scene and struck the Toyota. The two males from Kamloops were able to leap to safety, however the 54-year-old female from West Kelowna was struck by the stationary Toyota after the Chevrolet struck it as her 59-year-old husband of 4 months witnessed the crash.

She was taken to a local hospital in Hope where she succumb to her injuries. Her name will not be released pending notification of next of kin.

The driver of the Chevrolet stopped briefly down the road from the collision scene however, did not return to the scene and chose to drive to Hope where he attended the RCMPolice Detachment. He has been cooperating with the investigators.

Primary investigation reveals that it was snowing at the time of the collision which may have been a factor to this collision along with driver inattention. Speed and alcohol do not appear to be factors at this time.

The Fraser Valley Traffic Services, the Office of the Provincial Coroner and the Integrated Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Service are continuing their investigations.

Anyone who witnessed this collision and has not spoken to the police, is asked to contact Constable Laszlo Bali of the Fraser Valley Traffic Services at 604-702-4039.