Image: Submitted by Anto Joseph / Facebook / A photo of northbound lanes of the Coquihalla Highway on Oct. 5, 2024. Traffic was stopped on the roadway following a fatal single vehicle crash just south of Merritt, B.C.

By Don Mitchell

Fatal Collision

1 dead, 4 others injured following Coquihalla crash that closed highway for hours

Oct 6, 2024 | 12:23 PM

MERRITT – One person is dead and four others were injured following a single-vehicle crash on the Coquihalla Highway just south of Merritt Saturday afternoon, according to police.

RCMP say they were called to the scene just after 3:30 p.m. to address a ‘serious single-motor vehicle’ incident on Highway 5 north of Juliet Road.

“A four-door sedan travelling northbound had gone off the road at a high rate of speed eventually rolling before coming to a stop,” RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Brett Urano said in a release.

BC Emergency Health Services say eight ground and one air ambulances were dispatched to transport two people to hospital and treat three others at the scene.

“Officers believe speed was a factor in the collision and have ruled out impairment as a factor,” Urano added.

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The incident closed down the highway for hours and created significant delays for many, resulting in DriveBC urging travellers to use Highway 1 and Highway 3 as alternate routes.

Anto Joseph was one of those who experienced a long wait en route to Kamloops.

“We turned around at 7 p.m and drove through the Fraser Canyon,” he wrote.

“We reached Kamloops by 10:30 p.m.”

Urano said the roadway reopened around 2 a.m. following a BC Highway Patrol investigation.

“Our officers are continuing our investigation and request anyone who has not spoke with police to contact the Merritt RCMP Detachment,” Urano said.

“As well, if you have any dash camera footage in the area around the time of the incident please call us at 250-378-4262.”