On April 1st, 2012 at approximately 3:30PM, Oliver RCMP received a report of a single vehicle Motor Vehicle Collision on Highway 97, near 71st Street, just north of Oliver, BC. Officers attended to find a Black 2001 Ford Explorer had struck a utility pole. Witnesses on scene advised that the vehicle had been traveling southbound on Highway 97 when it went off road right, lost traction on the gravel shoulder, and struck the utility pole on the passenger side. The driver, and sole occupant of the vehicle, a 39 year old Oliver male, was trapped inside. The Oliver Fire Department attended and were able to extract the male from the vehicle who was subsequently transported to South Okanagan General Hospital with significant but, non-life threatening injuries. The vehicle was a complete loss. Hydro crews attended to deal with some downed power lines and a portion of the highway was shut down for approximately one hour. The cause of the collision has not yet been determined but is suspected to be mechanical in nature. Alcohol is not believed to be a factor at this time. The matter is still under investigation.
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Photo – thanks to Castanet and photographer Wendy Cassel