Truck in head-on crash that killed 4 northern Alberta men had pulled out to pass
RCMP say a head-on collision that killed four men and injured another happened when a pickup truck was attempting to pass another vehicle on a northeastern Alberta highway.
The crash happened east of St. Paul on Highway 29 between Range Road 72 and Range Road 73 at around 6:40 p.m. Wednesday.
"Investigation has determined that a westbound Ford truck had pulled out to pass another vehicle when it collided head-on with an eastbound Dodge truck," RCMP said in a news release Thursday.
Both vehicles sustained extensive front-end damage and their passenger compartments were "compromised," RCMP said.
The driver and lone occupant of the Dodge truck, a 64-year-old man from St. Paul, was pronounced dead at the scene, as was the driver of the Ford truck, a 42-year-old man from Cold Lake.
Two passengers in the Ford — men ages 46 and 28, both from Elk Point — died at the scene after the crash.
A third passenger in the Ford, a 39-year-old man, was transported to Edmonton where he remains being treated for injuries. Police didn't say where he lives.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation. At this point there is no indication that alcohol was a factor, said RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Chris Warren.
"We are dealing with some poor weather at the time, including some rain and high winds, but this investigation also determined that a vehicle did pull out to pass when unsafe to do so and ended up colliding with an oncoming vehicle," Warren told CBC News.
"The RCMP would like to send its condolences to the families during this difficult time. Ultimately we are dealing with a serious loss of life from some small communities that have lost their loved ones and community members, and our sympathies go out to them at this time."
Traffic was diverted around the scene for several hours but Highway 29 has since reopened.
St. Paul is about 200 kilometres northeast of Edmonton.
