A two-vehicle collision north of Prince George has claimed a life.
The driver of a service vehicle was pronounced dead at the scene of a crash with a commercial tractor-trailer unit on Highway 97 at the 700 Road just south of Bear Lake, RCMP Prince George regional provincial traffic services Staff Sergeant Pat McTiernan said.
Emergency personnel were called to the scene at about 5:20 p.m. Thursday and the highway was closed for a few hours so investigators could secure evidence. A detour was then established to accommodate passing traffic and as of 1:30 a.m. a recovery team was working to remove the two commercial units from the scene.
McTiernan said the collision occurred when the driver of commercial service truck, who had been heading westbound on the 700 Road, turned onto Highway 97 and into the path of the northbound truck and trailer unit.
"The northbound semi collided with the left side of the service truck in a perpendicular collision," McTiernan said. "The commercial tractor/trailer unit was loaded with empty metal storage containers."
The B.C. Coroners Service and Work Safe BC are now working with police to determine the factors in the crash, but to date there is no evidence that alcohol or drugs were factors, McTiernan said. Likewise, road and weather conditions are not believed factors, "but are being considered in the investigation."
Anyone who may have witnessed the crash or may have any information for the police in this investigation is asked to call the Prince George Regional Provincial Traffic Services Unit at 250-649-4004.
