A June 7 single-vehicle rollover near Springbank was likely caused by environmental conditions and driver error, according to Cochrane RCMP Sergeant Jeff Campbell.
“We got the call for a single-vehicle rollover at 8:45 p.m. on Township Road 251A at Range Road 31,” he said. “(The driver of) the vehicle lost control after hitting a gravel patch and was blinded by the sun.”
The vehicle ended up in the north side ditch on its side. The 17-year-old female driver from Calgary received only minor injuries and was treated on scene by EMS.
“Alcohol doesn’t appear to be a factor and it’s undetermined if speed was,” Campbell said. “She is claiming that it was environmental – she skidded out on the gravel, hit the ditch and rolled.”
According to Campbell, RCMP has no plans to lay any charges against the teenaged driver. There were no other vehicles involved in the collision and no other injuries.
A 12-year-old boy is dead and his father received minor injuries after the side-by-side all terrain vehicle (ATV) they were riding was involved in a single-vehicle collision June 4. The collision took place in a wooded area approximately 20 kilometres east of McLean Creek Trail in Kananaskis Country, according to Campbell.
“They were not wearing helmets, hence the severity of the injuries to the boy, which he succumbed to at the scene,” he said. “Kananaskis Emergency Services had to be long-lined into the scene, which means flown on a long cable under a helicopter. We deployed our members on quads. STARS (Air Ambulance) could not land at the scene.”
According to Campbell, alcohol is not considered a factor in the collision, however a failure to wear safety equipment likely contributed to the boy’s death.
“It appears that they were attempting to make a U-turn and rolled. If you’re not using all the safety devices – this ATV has seat belts which were not being used and they weren’t wearing helmets – that roll cage is going to do nothing for you,” he said.
The father of the boy had to be long-lined out and was treated at the scene before being released, according to Campbell.
No names are being released and Campbell said an investigation into the cause of the collision is ongoing.
“It appears to be driver error but we are just putting all the pieces together,” he said. “We’re not anticipating any charges.
“It was an easily preventable death. Use the safety devices that are there.”
If you have any information about any crime, contact your local RCMP detachment or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or online at tipsubmit.com
