One woman dead, another in critical condition following two-vehicle crash near Field, B.C.

FIELD, B.C. – One woman has died and another remains in critical condition following a two-vehicle crash on the Trans-Canada Highway in Yoho National Park on Wednesday (Aug. 7).

The collision took place near Field B.C. just before 11:30 a.m. – which shut down the two-lane highway for about eight hours – sent two patients to hospital by air ambulance, including one via STARS air ambulance and another in a fixed-wing plane.

"Unfortunately, one of the women being treated for serious injuries died in hospital today. Another woman is still in critical condition," said RCMP Constable/Gend Kat Robinson, a media relations officer with Golden-Field RCMP.

"The family has been notified, and the Golden RCMP General Duty Section, BC Highway Patrol and BC Coroner’s Service continue to investigate the now fatal collision.

Anyone who may have witnessed the collision is asked to contact the Golden-Field RCMP at 250-344-2221.

RCMP, firefighters and paramedics from both B.C. and Alberta were called to the scene in a multi-agency response, with officials with B.C. Emergency Health Services saying paramedics provided emergency medical treatment to six patients.

“Of the six patients, one was transported by air ambulance to hospital. A second patient was transported by ground and then air ambulance to hospital,” said Rachelle Bown, BCEHS public information officer.

"Four other patients were transported by ground ambulances to hospital."

Two people were extracted from their mangled vehicle by Lake Louise Fire-Rescue and Golden Fire-Rescue.

Four ambulances with primary care paramedics, an advanced care paramedic response unit, an air ambulance with critical care paramedics, a Banff ambulance with advanced care paramedics, and a STARS air ambulance all responded.

“I can confirm that STARS was dispatched to the Field, B.C. area this afternoon in response to a motor vehicle collision and that a female patient in her 70s was flown by STARS to Foothills Medical Centre in Calgary,” said Blake Robert, a spokesperson for STARS in an email.

Last month, on July 18, an adult and child were taken to hospital following a two-vehicle crash on the Trans-Canada Highway near Emerald Lake Road.

STARS transported the adult female to the Foothills Medical Centre in Calgary, who was believed to be in life-threatening condition at the time.

The child, in non-life-threatening condition, was transported by AHS EMS paramedic to the Alberta Children’s Hospital in Calgary.

Police said the initial investigation determined a sport-utility-vehicle was rear-ended by a car as they were attempting to turn left off the highway.