Two people sent to hospital after accident last week

A two-vehicle collision sent an occupant from each vehicle to the hospital late last week, due to icy, winter driving conditions about five kilometres north of Magrath on Highway 5.

“The vehicle lost control heading northbound on Highway 5, about five kilometres north of Magrath, basically it collided with a southbound vehicle head-on,” said RCMP Cpl. Gabe Graham of the accident Thursday afternoon. “The driver of the southbound vehicle sustained injuries and was transported to the hospital and a passenger in the northbound vehicle was transported as well.”

Later the passenger from the northbound vehicle was transported to the Calgary hospital due to bleeding on the brain and is in stable condition now. At this point none of the injuries have been reported as life-threatening, and drugs and alcohol were not believed to have been contributing factors.

“The road conditions were of blowing snow and the roads were very icy at the time and were the cause of this accident,” Graham said.

Eight responders and two medical attendees from Raymond, Cardston and Magrath were on scene within moments of the accident.

“We had to extricate one person. It wasn’t the best situation, but nobody passed away,” said Magrath Fire Chief Cliff Blackwell. “Winter driving conditions were the cause and the top of that hill is a nasty place sometimes.”

Although the main highway was closed for about an hour, Blackwell said they re-routed traffic to the north to take pressure off drivers and the scene of the incident.

“We appreciate all the people and their willingness to do that and we appreciate all the people that helped us,” Blackwell added.

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