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Car crash claims one life, serious injuries to driver

The accident, near 1400 block of Hwy 3B south of Fruitvale, left Bernard Harold Doherty of Montrose dead.

A single motor vehicle accident on Saturday night left one man dead and the female driver in hospital with serious injuries.

Bernard Harold Doherty, a 52-year old Montrose resident, died following the motor vehicle incident, confirmed regional coroner Larry Marzinzik in a Monday news release.

The Trail RCMP responded to the scene near the 1400 block of Highway 3B, south of Fruitvale, just after 9 p.m. that night.

Doherty was a passenger riding in one of the back seats and was pronounced dead at the site, noted  Marzinzik.

The woman driver was listed in serious condition with two other male passengers sustaining minor injuries, confirmed Sgt. Derrick Donovan from West Kootenay Traffic Services.

The vehicle was travelling north on the highway before failing to negotiate a curve and going off the right side of the road and down a steep embankment, said Donovan.

“We’ve got some evidence of light snow coming down that night and we are still investigating whether road conditions were a factor,” he said. “Today (Monday) we are doing a mechanical condition check on the vehicle to rule that out as well.”

The BC Coroner Service and the RCMP traffic services are continuing to investigate and have not ruled out speed or alcohol.

Two people were at the site assisting but left prior to police arrival and before being identified.

Donovan said those two witnesses came forward to the Trail detachment Monday morning and provided follow up statements to assist with the investigation.



Sheri Regnier

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