Thursday, December 18, 2008

UPDATE: FATAL MOTOR VEHICLE COLLISION

(Sudbury, ON) - On December 17th, 2008 at 7:05 p.m. Sudbury O.P.P. officers were dispatched to a motor vehicle collision on Highway 69, Servos Township, approximately 3km south of the town of Estaire.

Investigation revealed that for unknown reasons, a southbound mini van crossed the centre line and collided head-on with a northbound pick-up truck. The driver/lone occupant of the pick-up truck received serious injuries and had to be extricated by the Estaire-Wanup Fire Department. The driver/lone occupant of the mini van, Constance ROQUE, age 55 of Killarney, ON, was not wearing her seatbelt and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Road and weather conditions were not a factor. The highway was closed for approximately six hours while officers conducted the on-scene investigation with the assistance of an O.P.P. Collision Reconstructionist. During the highway closure, traffic was re-routed through Highway 537 and Highway 64.

A post mortem examination will be conducted in Sudbury today.

OPP Urge Snowmobile Operators to Exercise Caution

(Sault Ste. Marie, ON) - Early season riding ultimately contributes to snowmobiling deaths and the OPP are warning snowmobilers about unsafe ice conditions and limited OFSC trail travel, wet marshland and bogs.

Riding responsibly is a personal choice that must be made every time someone starts up a sled. Snowmobile operators are urged to use common sense, exercise caution and slow down If you don’t know, don’t go.

Sledders often lose control of their machines because of excessive speed and collide with boulders, trees and vehicles. Others go through thin ice or drive into open water. Some fail to yield to roadway traffic. The sudden impact of a high-speed collisions or an open water incident leave riders little in the way of a second chance. Speed and alcohol prove to be a deadly mix.

There will be plenty of excellent riding as snow and ice conditions improve and this season the OPP will continue to make trail safety a priority . OPP will be working hard to curb the rising snowmobile collision death toll.

SNOWMOBILE SAFETY STARTS WITH YOU

RIDE SAFE. RIDE SOBER.