A driver who reportedly failed to proceed from a stop sign safely and collided with an SUV while driving a company semi truck last week has been charged by RCMP.
The collision occurred at the intersection of Highway 27 and 10 Street SE on July 15.
“The SUV was going east and the semi driver, he thought that she was turning because there's a turning lane there, but it's actually a passing lane,” said Sundre RCMP Const. Val Dennis.
“The semi driver misjudged it because there's a passing lane there and she was in that second lane so he just, I think he presumed that she was turning,” he explained.
“We charged the driver of the semi with failing to proceed from the stop (sign) safely.”
The driver of the SUV was heading east into town and the driver of the semi truck was stopped at the stop sign on 10 Street SE, waiting to cross Highway 27 onto Highway 22 N.
The male 35-year-old semi truck driver was the lone occupant of the vehicle and works for a company in the Rimbey area. RCMP officers are not releasing his name.
The female 60-year-old driver of the SUV is a Sundre resident and was also the lone occupant of the vehicle.
“Neither of them were injured and neither of them went to the hospital,” said Dennis.
Witnesses said the female driver was in shock and shaking, and the male driver was apologetic and immediately took the blame.
Sundre councillor Paul Isaac was working at Koch Fuel Products Inc. at the time and went outside when he saw the accident. He wore a safety vest and directed traffic around the scene while an employee from a tow truck company towed the SUV and swept pieces from the vehicle off the road.
The driver of the semi truck parked the vehicle on Highway 22 N to keep it out of the way.
Since the Tim Hortons opened on 10th Street SE last year, that intersection has become busier and residents have suggested installing a traffic light there.
“They're going to have to do something. That would be a great idea. I would go along with that too. It's getting quite busy there,” said Dennis.
