BC Highway Patrol and BC Coroners Service probe crash that ends in tragedy

Hope, Upper Fraser Valley, BC Highway Patrol

2021-07-17 20:18 PDT

File # BC Highway Patrol Chilliwack 2021-30455

The BC Highway Patrol and the BC Coroners Service are continuing their concurrent investigations into the serious rollover crash that claimed a life and sent 4 others to hospitals across the Lower Mainland with serious, and in some cases, life threatening injuries.

On July 17, 2021 just after 8:30 a.m., Hope RCMP, BC Highway Patrol Chilliwack and emergency medical crews responded to the southbound lanes of the Coquihalla Highway 5, south of the Portia Brake Check, for reports of a serious single vehicle rollover collision.

First responders arrived on scene to find a heavily damaged grey Mazda CX-9 on its side, states Cpl. Jesse O’Donaghey, spokesman for the BC RCMP. Two adults and two children sustained varying degrees of injuries, all serious and many considered to be potentially life threatening in nature. While sadly a fifth occupant of the vehicle, a woman in her 70s, was pronounced deceased at the scene.

Both adults were air lifted from the crash site by BC Emergency Health Services to separate BC Lower Mainland hospitals in serious condition. At last update, both the man and woman were in emergency surgery.

One of the two children was transported by BC Air Ambulance to BC Children’s Hospital in critical condition. While the other was taken to an area hospital with serious bodily injuries, believed to be non-life threatening in nature.

The BC Coroners Service has been notified and attended the collision scene to launch its own concurrent fact finding investigation into the elderly woman’s unexpected death. In order to protect the privacy and identity of the deceased and all those injured in this tragic crash, no further information will be released by police.

The investigation into the circumstances surrounding the collision is ongoing at this time and being led by BC Highway Patrol Chilliwack.

If you witnessed this crash or have any dash camera footage that may aid investigators, and have not yet spoken to police you are asked to contact the BC Highway Patrol Chilliwack at 604-702-4039.

Released by

Cpl. Jesse O'Donaghey
District Advisory NCO (Media Relations)
Southeast District
170-395 Penno Road Kelowna, BC V1X 7W5
Office: 250-491-4317
Cell: 250-869-9578
Fax: 250-491-2381

Email: jesse.odonaghey@rcmp-grc.gc.ca

 

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