RCMP are currently investigating two separate accidents that resulted in the deaths of three individuals along a section of Highway 19 located between Nanoose Bay and Lantzville on Vancouver Island. According to the B.C. Highway Patrol, the most recent incident occurred around 3 a.m. PT on Thursday, involving a 16-year-old female driver from the Nanaimo area who was suspected of driving under the influence. She collided head-on with another vehicle in the southbound lane near Ware Road, resulting in the fatalities of the two male occupants of the second vehicle. Sergeant Michael McLaughlin, a media relations officer, described the crash as tragic and emphasized the need for additional witnesses and video evidence to determine the exact sequence of events.
Authorities have already interviewed multiple witnesses regarding the incident. The teenage driver was apprehended for causing death due to impaired driving and death caused by dangerous driving. Although she sustained non-life-threatening injuries, she was taken to the hospital for treatment. Southbound traffic in the vicinity was halted for several hours as law enforcement conducted their investigation.
In a separate event earlier on the same highway, another fatal crash occurred. Oceanside RCMP reported that a single vehicle overturned near the Nanoose Bay rest area, approximately 10 kilometers north of Lantzville, at approximately 6:45 p.m. PT the day before. A 20-year-old female passenger lost her life at the scene, as confirmed by Sergeant Shane Worth. The 21-year-old driver was transported to the hospital with minor injuries, while a second passenger was in critical condition upon being taken to the hospital.
The northbound lanes of the highway were closed for several hours following the incident. Worth highlighted the challenges posed by accidents in that specific area of the highway due to the presence of a concrete barrier dividing the median and the absence of alternative routes for motorists.