WESTLOCK – Freezing rain and snow caused havoc on Highway 44 throughout the week with one fatal collision, as well as a three-vehicle accident and a jackknifed semitruck that backed up early-morning traffic.
Shortly past 12 p.m. Jan. 24 Morinville RCMP responded to a crash on Highway 44 between Township Road 570 and 571 where a southbound SUV had collided with a semi-truck that resulted in the death of one driver. The scene, near the Hamlet of Alcomdale in Sturgeon County, was cleared and traffic was no longer being diverted shortly after 6 p.m.
“Investigation and witness accounts suggest that one of the vehicles lost control and crossed the centre line and was struck and the driver of that vehicle was deceased,” said Morinville RCMP Const. Scott McKee. “The SUV caught the soft shoulder and the driver lost control of the vehicle.”
Highways in the area were reported to be icy due to recent rainfall and the cause of the collision is still under investigation. RCMP report that next-of-kin have been notified and there is no update at this time on the status of the semi-truck driver.
Earlier Jan. 24 a semi ended up in the ditch on Highway 44, just north of Pickardville. Westlock RCMP received a call around 4 a.m. that the truck had gone off the road — late that morning traffic was backup up for kilometres in either direction.
Topping off the trio of accidents was a Jan. 26 incident just south of the intersection of Highway 651 and 44 where three vehicles — a tanker truck, van and one other vehicle — collided which resulted in minor injuries to one driver.
Westlock RCMP received the call just before 11 p.m. about the three-way collision and attended the scene — removal efforts spanned well into the following day with clean up concluding Thursday afternoon.
Westlock RCMP Staff Sgt. Al Baird said Jan. 28 they’re still trying to piece together details of the crash but said “icy roads appear to be a factor” and they’ll know more in the coming days.
