Two Nelson women were killed in a two-vehicle collision on Highway 3A at the Shoreacres bridge on Saturday.
An off-duty BC Highway Patrol member came across the scene around 3:30 p.m on Feb. 25.
According to Kootenay Highway Patrol, the initial investigation determined that the driver of a Toyota Corolla lost control on slippery roads and was struck by an oncoming Ford F350 truck.
“Despite the best efforts of first responders, both rear passengers in the Toyota, a 68-year-old female and a 79-year-old female from Nelson, died as a result of injuries sustained in the collision,” said Insp. Chad Badry.
The driver and front passenger of the Toyota were transported to hospital. The driver of the truck was not seriously injured.
Castlegar RCMP, Nelson RCMP, BC Highway Patrol, BC Ambulance, Tarrys Fire Rescue and other local fire services attended the scene as well as a physician with Kootenay Emergency Response Physician Association.
The incident kept Highway 3A closed for about three and a half hours while police investigated, gathered evidence and recovered the vehicles involved.
BC Highway Patrol – Nelson has taken charge of the investigation.
Anyone with information regarding this crash, including anyone with dashboard camera video of pre-collision driving, is asked to contact BC Highway Patrol Nelson at 250-354-5180.
It has only been about six weeks since a two-vehicle collision on the same highway claimed the lives of three family members, including an infant, just seven kilometres away in Thrums.
Tarrys Fire Chief Greg Patterson told Castlegar News he is concerned about the number of people who choose to drive too fast for road conditions on the highway between Castlegar and Nelson.
While it has not been determined whether speed played a role in the two recent fatal crashes, Patterson says it is a chronic problem.
“There are a lot of collisions,” said Patterson. “There are a lot of contributing factors, everything from speed to alcohol to road conditions to distracted drivers, poor tires — it is a whole combination.”
Patterson also notes, “There is a lot of traffic on this road, and a lot of people get through safely.”
But he wishes more people would slow down and pay attention to road conditions to reduce the chances that his department has to respond to any more serious collisions this winter.
READ MORE: Castlegar police expecting body cameras in 2024
betsy.kline@castlegarnews.com
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