BOWDEN - Nasty, blustery winter driving conditions are being cited as a "most likely" factor in the horrific three-vehicle crash last week on the Queen Elizabeth II Highway that claimed the life of a Calgary woman.
"It was high winds, blowing snow and icy highway. It was a bad stretch there," said RCMP Cpl. Laurel Scott of the highway crash two kilometres north of Bowden near the junction of Highway 2 and Twp. Rd. 351 near the RCMP dog training facility. The crash between a semi-trailer truck, an SUV and a minivan was reported to RCMP shortly before 9:30 a.m. on Jan. 31.
Scott said police and emergency rescue personnel were immediately dispatched to the scene, including Innisfail Freeway Patrol, Blackfalds Integrated Traffic Unit, Alberta Sheriffs and local bylaw officers. Innisfail Fire Department members were also called to the collision.
She said northbound traffic was diverted to Highway 2A at Bowden to allow emergency rescue personnel to attend crash victims.
Scott said seven people were involved in the crash -- one deceased - an occupant of the SUV, four injured, and two uninjured at scene who did not require treatment. Although the name of the female deceased has not been released, Scott said she was a 51-year-old Calgary resident.
EMS spokesman Adam Loria said a second woman in the SUV was transported by STARS air ambulance to Foothills Medical Centre in Calgary with "serious internal and external injuries." By late morning, she was considered to be in stable and in non-life-threatening condition. Loria said a third woman in the SUV was taken to Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre with non-life-threatening injuries. Two patients with non-life-threatening injuries - including the only occupant of the minivan -- were sent to the Innisfail Health Centre, said Loria
The driver of the semi-trailer did not wish to be assessed by EMS, and was determined uninjured.
Scott said the semi-trailer truck was towed to the side of the highway to allow for normal traffic flow and to drain its tank of leaking fuel.
"The semi was loaded with fuel. There was a significant diesel fuel leakage that (was) cleaned up throughout the day," said Scott.
As for establishing the direct cause of the crash, Scott said an RCMP collisions analyst was on scene to determine the chain of events that led to the collision.
"I don't think we would have his report yet, so we are not prepared to make any speculation right now about the cause or what happened," she said.
With files from Doug Collie.
RCMP Cpl. Laurel Scott
"It was high winds, blowing snow and icy highway. It was a bad stretch there."
