Impaired Calgary man crashes over barriers near Bennett Bridge

A drunk driver lost control on West Kelowna's Bridge Hill late Sunday night, flipping his truck over the road's barricade. And it was all caught on camera. 

The crash occurred just after 10 p.m. on Highway 97's southbound lanes.

“A man, believed to be behind the wheel while impaired by alcohol, is now prohibited from driving a motor vehicle after he allegedly collided with the barricades (near) the William Bennett Bridge and slid down the embankment late Sunday evening in West Kelowna,” said Cpl. Jocelyn Noseworthy of the Kelowna RCMP.

Kelowna resident Brendan Davie was driving northbound towards the bridge with his girlfriend when the scary scene took place right in front of their eyes. 

“We watched the whole thing. We saw it kind of in the distance, there was a plume of dust coming up from the bridge and then saw the truck scoot across both lanes and hit the outside barriers there and hop it and roll down the hill,” explains Davie. 

The couple was shocked by the quick crash. 

‘It was incredible how fast it happened, just out of nowhere. All of a sudden there’s a truck airborne on the other side of the road,” says Davie. 

Immediately after the crash, Davie's girlfriend called 911, while he ran across the road to help the driver. 

“I was actually the first one to make contact with the driver who was stuck in the vehicle," said Davie. "I asked him if he was okay. He was standing inside and said he was fine.”

Davie and other bystanders helped the lone occupant of the truck out. 

“Two other guys showed up and we held the driver’s door open while he sort of crawled out and flopped into the grass.”    

Davie says the driver was fine but a bit in shock. He didn’t appear to have any major injuries.    

Cpl. Noseworthy says police determined the 31-year-old Calgary man was impaired, and he was issued a 90-day prohibition from driving a motor vehicle. 

He was medically assessed at the scene by paramedics and he appeared relatively uninjured. His vehicle was towed from the scene and impounded.

“Someone’s in trouble, you got to help, even if he’s impaired, which is not right," Davie said.