Okanagan man and his dog die in multi-vehicle crash on Coquihalla

Highway 5 north of Hope reopened to traffic Wednesday evening after a multi-vehicle crash that claimed one life and injured more than 30 others, some seriously.

RCMP say the incident began the morning of Feb. 10 with a report of a semi-truck stopped in the northbound lanes of Highway 5 in the S-curves. An officer from the Fraser Valley responded and came upon the scene to find a pickup truck had collided into the rear of a stopped semi-truck.

“The road conditions in the area of the collision were treacherous and caught many unaware which resulted in a cascading, chain-reaction collision involving at least two dozen vehicles, including passenger vehicles, semi-trucks and a bus,” stated Cpl. Mike Halskov, media relations with BC RCMP Traffic Services.

Police say the responding officer was forced to take evasive action and, due to the severe road conditions, he collided with the concrete barrier. The police car was then hit from behind by a jack-knifed semi-truck that was not able to stop, injuring the police officer who watched through his rear-view mirror as he was about to be hit.

Police estimate about 50 people were involved in the collision.

“The driver of the pickup (that struck the stopped semi), a man in his forties from the South Okanagan along with his dog, died in the crash. Five people were taken to hospital with significant injuries, however only one remains in hospital with broken bones and is expected to recover,” Halskov said.

Of the remaining people involved, injuries ranged from minor to non-life threatening or requiring no medical intervention.

Police say severe road and weather conditions contributed significantly to the crash.

“Speed relative to conditions also played a factor, and police would like to remind motorists to drive according to the road and weather conditions,” Halskov stated. “In this collision, slower speeds may not have prevented collisions due to the highway being glare ice, but slower speeds may have reduced injury. A number of rescue vehicles, including tow trucks and a B.C. ambulance were also involved in minor crashes as they arrived at the scene to render assistance.”

BC RCMP Traffic Services is thanking the individuals, volunteers and agencies that responded to people in need by providing transportation, shelter and warmth to the crash victims.

Investigators say they have received a significant amount of dash camera video from several sources that will aid the investigation however, at this time, no criminal charges are anticipated.