Peachland crash sends four to hospital
By Castlegar Source
BC RCMP Highway Patrol has assumed control of the ongoing police investigation into the full circumstances surrounding a single vehicle collision, that sent four people to hospital early Tuesday evening, from the Okanagan Connector.
On May 25, 2021 just before 5 p.m., West Kelowna RCMP and emergency medical services responded to a report of a single vehicle rollover collision west of Peachland BC, along Highway 97C near the Pennask Summit. Front line officers arrived on scene to find a severely damaged grey Kia Rio and four vehicle occupants, suffering from varying degrees of injury and in need of immediate medical attention.
The driver, a West Kelowna woman in her 50s, sustained serious bodily injuries in the collision. She was airlifted from the crash scene in grave condition, by BC Emergency Health Services Air Ambulance, to a regional hospital for urgent medical care.
The three passengers, an adult man and two young children, who each suffered what are believed to be serious non-life threatening injuries, were transported by BC EHS to hospital by ground.
“Although the investigation into the causal factors is in its early stages, police believe that the driver had been under the influence of an intoxicating substance while behind the wheel. As such a criminal impaired driving investigation is now underway,” states Cpl. Jesse O’Donaghey, spokesperson for the BC RCMP in the Southeast District. “Investigators have not yet ruled out speed, and both road or weather conditions as additional contributing factors in this devastating crash.”
“A collision analyst with the Integrated Collision Analysis and Reconstructionist Service (ICARS) was dispatched to the crash site on the Connector to examine the scene and gather physical evidence to support the ongoing investigation, being led by BC Highway Patrol Kelowna,” adds Cpl. Jesse O’Donaghey.
If you witnessed or possess dash camera footage of the crash as it unfolded, or observed or recorded the movements of the vehicle involved prior to crash and have not yet spoken to police you are asked to call BC Highway Patrol Kelowna at 250-491-5354.
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