Collision south of Chetwynd claims woman’s life, shuts down Highway 97

CHETWYND, B.C. — A fatal collision south of Chetwynd led to a temporary shutdown of part of Highway 97 over the weekend, according to BC Highway Patrol officers.

A press release from the RCMP says officers were called at 1:45 p.m. on Saturday, August 16th, with reports that a Dodge Ram 3500 pickup truck towing a flat-deck trailer collided with a black Ford Bronco.

The incident took place in the Bijoux Falls area. Updates from DriveBC show a 37.1-kilometre stretch of the highway through the Pine Pass was closed in both directions following the collision, not reopening until nearly 11 p.m. that evening.

According to officers, the driver of the Dodge Ram was taken to hospital following the collision, along with the driver and one passenger from the Ford Bronco. A second passenger from the Ford Bronco – a 28-year-old woman from North Vancouver – “did not survive,” police said.

“Police are very interested in how these vehicles were driving in the minutes leading up to the collision, and we’re looking for more witnesses who saw that black Ford Bronco or the black Dodge Ram towing a trailer,” says Corporal Michael McLaughlin with BC Highway Patrol. “If you have dash camera footage, that’s also crucial.”

Anyone with footage or information to share with investigators can contact the Prince George branch of BC Highway Patrol at 250-649-6004.