Poor road conditions, including fog and ice, are believed to be the cause of multiple vehicle collisions, including one that resulted in a fatality in recent weeks.
Didsbury and Olds RCMP, along with other emergency services, attended the scene of a two-vehicle collision on Highway 2A near Carstairs on the afternoon of Jan. 16.
Highway 2A south of Carstairs was shut down to traffic for a number of hours.
Both northbound and southbound traffic was diverted at Highway 580 to the north and Twp. Rd. 294 to the south.
“At 1:04 p.m. RCMP were dispatched to the collision which involved a grain truck and a pickup truck,” said Laurel Scott, RCMP media relations, in a press release. “The grain truck was travelling south bound on Highway 2A when it appears to have lost control and collided with the north bound pickup truck.”
The driver of the pickup truck was declared deceased on scene, while the driver of the grain truck was transported via ground ambulance to a nearby hospital, said Scott.
Didsbury RCMP Staff Sgt. Chad Fournier said last week that the collision is still under investigation.
“Our RCMP collision reconstructionist was out and examined the scene,” said Fournier. “They’re still working on their investigation.”
On Jan. 17, just after noon, Olds RCMP responded to a report that a semi trailer had jack-knifed in the southbound lanes of Highway 2 just south of the Highway 27 overpass.
No other vehicles were involved and no injuries were sustained. Police say poor weather and icy road conditions were factors in the collision. No charges were laid.
- With files from Doug Collie
