A crash involving a semi truck closed a stretch of the Nanaimo Parkway this week.
Emergency personnel were called at about 6 a.m. on Wednesday, June 19, to the crash in the parkway's northbound lanes south of the Fifth Street and College Drive intersection.
According to an RCMP press release, witnesses told police a vehicle with one occupant was seen driving southbound in the northbound lanes before it collided with a northbound semi tractor trailer, which appeared to have caused the semi-trailer to jackknife and tip over on its side, pinning the driver. It took first responders hours to remove him from the truck, the release noted.
Glenn Fraser, B.C. Emergency Health Services acting off-car unit chief, who was B.C. Ambulance supervisor on the scene, confirmed one occupant from each vehicle was transported to hospital with injuries.
"We had three ground ambulances and a helicopter attend," Fraser said. "Both patients were transported. One by ground ambulance and one by helicopter."
The truck driver was airlifted to a hospital in Victoria with serious but non-life-threatening injuries, while the driver of the crossover utility vehicle was taken to Nanaimo Regional General Hospital. Both drivers remained in hospital as of Friday, June 21.
Investigators, which included an RCMP collision analyst, were on scene for most of the day.
“Police managed to speak with a number of witnesses who remained on scene or had dashcam video of the collision, “said reserve Const. Gary O’Brien, Nanaimo RCMP spokesperson.
Investigators would like to speak with a woman who was at the crash site and provided emergency first aid to the driver of the crossover, but left before investigators were able to obtain her contact information.
Anyone with more information about the crash is asked to contact the Nanaimo RCMP non-emergency line at 250-754-2345.
