UPDATE: The deceased driver has been identified as Cody Shreve of Prince George. The nine-year-old has been identified as the family’s youngest son, Masen.
A GoFundMe has been set up for the family.
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Police in Northern BC are calling it a tragic situation after a motor vehicle incident on Highway 97 Monday afternoon that claimed the life of a driver and a nine-year-old child.
Williams Lake RCMP responded to the three-vehicle collision nearly 20 kilometres north of the City at approximately 3PM.
“Upon arrival, it was determined that a southbound pickup truck with a lone driver crossed the centre line and collided with a northbound Toyota with five occupants and then side-swiped another vehicle that was following the Toyota,” says ‘E’ Division Traffic Services Constable Mike Halskov in a news release.
“The driver of the Toyota and a nine-year-old child sitting in the back seat died as a result of this collision.”
CLOSED – #BCHwy97 in both directions north of #WilliamsLake at Kragbak Rd due to a vehicle incident. Assessment in progress, no estimated time of opening. Next update at 6:00 PM. Detour available, full details: https://t.co/ekvHe9LfaN
— Drive BC (@DriveBC) September 24, 2018
The other three occupants of the Toyota, according to Halskov, an adult and two children, were taken to hospital with what are believed to be non-life threatening injuries.
The lone driver of the side-swiped vehicle received minor injuries.
The driver of the southbound pick-up was extricated from his vehicle and transported to the nearest hospital.
Halskov says the Cariboo-Chilcotin Regional Traffic Services are investigating with assistance from the North District Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Service, the BC Coroners’ Service, and WorkSafe BC.
“At this early stage in the investigation, impairment does not appear to be a factor in this collision,” he said.
Highway 97 was closed in both directions for several hours as a result of the of the incident and re-opened at 2:30AM this morning.
Anyone with more information is asked to call Cariboo-Chilcotin Traffic Services in Williams Lake at (250) 392-6211.
– with files from Rebecca Kelli, My Cariboo Now
CLEARED – https://t.co/ypwCOjbNrv
— Drive BC (@DriveBC) September 25, 2018