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Man dies after accident on Okanagan Connector

West Kelowna - A five-vehicle accident on the connector Friday night took a man’s life
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Credit: Google Maps

A 58-year-old man from the northwest coast of B.C. died last night after a five-vehicle accident on the Okanagan Connector.

Five significantly-damaged vehicles were later removed from the scene of a serious chain-reaction collision, on the 97C Okanagan Connector just outside of West Kelowna, according to the RCMP.

The accident occurred just after 7 p.m. last night when emergency crews were called to the scene of the collision with reports of serious injuries that blocked the eastbound lanes of Highway 97 C near the Trepanier Road off-ramp.

RCMP arrived on scene to find a severely damaged black Jeep Wrangler laying on its driver’s side.

Witnesses told police the driver of the Jeep Wrangler was broadsided by an eastbound red Dodge Ram pickup truck, after police believe the driver of the Jeep attempted to make a left hand turn across both lanes of travel in attempt to gain access to an emergency services access road.

A chain reaction occurred as a passing red Mazda Tribute, a grey Ford F250 and a white GMC Sierra pickup truck also became involved in the collision, each sustaining moderate to extensive damage, according to police.

“The lone occupant of the black Jeep Wrangler was rushed from the scene of the crash, to an area hospital by BC Ambulance Service,” said Cpl. Jesse O’Donaghey, spokesperson for the Kelowna regional detachment. “Sadly the 58-year-old man succumbed to his injuries in hospital.”

A total of eight occupants of the remaining four vehicles involved in the crash were medically assessed and treated by emergency paramedics and subsequently released at the scene.

The east bound lanes of the freeway were closed for more than seven hours, to allow a collision reconstructionist, with the RCMP Integrated Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Service, to fully examine the scene of the crash, according to the RCMP/

Anyone who may have witnessed the crash, and has not yet spoken to police, is asked to contact the West Kelowna RCMP 250-768-2880.

@carliberry_
carli.berry@kelownacapnews.com

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