Image Credit: Global Okanagan/Jim Douglas (with permission)
Republished October 01, 2015 - 11:19 AM
Original Publication Date October 01, 2015 - 10:12 AM
WEST KELOWNA - A head-on collision on Highway 97 near Grizzly Drive backed up traffic in both directions this morning, Oct. 1, closing the highway and sending a 76-year-old woman to hospital in serious condition.
Kelowna RCMP spokesman Const. Steve Holmes, says in a meida release, the collision between a Toyota sedan and a Jeep happened around 9 a.m.
Witnesses say the 76-year-old driver of the south-bound Toyota appeared to slump over the wheel of her car before drifting into oncoming traffic.
The Toyota struck the Jeep in the oncoming lane of traffic, spinning both vehicles 180 degrees, Holmes says.
Drivers of both vehicles were taken to Kelowna General Hospital, where the older woman remains in serious condition. The 32-year-old driver of the Jeep was released without injury.
A collision analyst was called in to investigate but Holmes says it appears an unspecified medical incident likely caused the collision.
Highway 97 was closed for about two hours, reopening at 11 a.m. Dozens of motorist were forced to detour around the crash, using Grizzly Drive and Old Okanagan Highway.
Image Credit: Global Okanagan (with permission)
To contact the reporter for this story, email John McDonald at jmcdonald@infonews.ca or call 250-808-0143. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.
— This story was updated 10:16 a.m., Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015 with new information from RCMP and to add new photos.
— This story was updated at 11:15 a.m., Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015 to say the highway had reopened.
— This story was updated at 3:02 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015 with new information from Kelowna RCMP.
News from © iNFOnews, 2015