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One person dies in Vancouver Island highway crash

Cause of incident near Qualicum Bay under investigation
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(Black Press Media file photo)

One person has died in a motor vehicle crash on the Island Highway near Qualicum Bay on Nov. 25.

The Bow Horn Bay Fire Department responded to the high-velocity incident in the highway’s 6100 block shortly after 7 p.m., according to Fire Chief Clayton Bucoviz.

The lone occupant of one vehicle was ejected upon impact.

“Life saving measures were initially performed by a bystander and then quickly taken over by firefighters and BCEHS whom arrived quickly on scene,” Bucoviz said. “It was determined the patient did succumb to their injuries upon vehicle ejection.”

An initial police investigation determined a Mazda MX3 traveling north on the highway drifted across the centre line and collided with a southbound Pontiac Grand-Am, according to Sgt. Shane Worth of the Oceanside RCMP.

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The lone occupant of the Mazda, a 31-year-old Bowser resident, died on scene and the lone occupant of the Pontiac was not injured, according to Worth.

“A definitive cause as to how or why the Mazda drifted into the oncoming lane has not yet been determined,” Worth said. “The investigation is ongoing in conjunction with an RCMP collision reconstructionist and the BC Coroners Service.”

Highway 19A was reopened at approximately 1:30 a.m. on Nov. 26.

If anyone witnessed this collision and has not yet spoken with police, they are asked to contact the Oceanside RCMP at 250-248-6111 quoting file 2022-11608.

— NEWS Staff

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