A 60-year-old female driver of a pick-up truck lost her life and her husband was airlifted to an Edmonton hospital on Wednesday, Aug.4 when their vehicle collided with an oncoming pickup truck on Highway 12 in mid-afternoon eight kilometers west of Halkirk.
Officers from Stettler RCMP detachment and RCMP collision analyst from Red Deer attended the scene alongside Town of Castor Emergency Services and Halkirk Fire Department.
Following their investigation, RCMP said it was believed the the collision was the result of the deceased driver’s vehicle straying into the lane of the oncoming vehicle.
The statement issued by the RCMP said “it is believed a green 2004 GMC Sierra pickup truck, driven by a 60-year-old female traveling with her 64-year-old husband, was west bound and wandered into the eastbound lane. A 2006 GMC pickup towing a fifth-wheel camper trailer driven by a 67-year-old male was east bound with his 64-year-old wife and six-year- old grandson which collided with the west bound pickup causing extensive damage to both vehicles.
“The west bound pickup came to rest on the east bound portion of the highway while the vehicle which was east bound traveled into the south ditch.
“The driver of the westbound pickup was pronounced dead at the scene while the male passenger was transported to hospital in Edmonton by STARS Air Ambulance for treatment of serious injuries,” the RCMP statement said.
The driver and occupants of the east bound vehicle were treated for non-life-threatening injuries at the Castor hospital and released.
“Emergency services used the jaws of life to extricate the passenger of the west bound pick up,” RCMP said.
Due to the collision, Highway 12 remained closed to vehicle traffic for more than six hours as police diverted vehicles travelling in both directions to other routes.