A semi-truck towing an empty trailer and a smaller SUV collided along the Nanaimo Parkway's southbound lanes near the Harewood Mines Rd. just before 6 a.m. on Wednesday, with both vehicles ending up in the northbound lanes. The highway is closed in both directions between the Cedar Rd. and Fifth St. exits.  (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

two injured

‘That vehicle saved his life:’ serious crash disrupts traffic on portion of Nanaimo Parkway

Jun 19, 2024 | 6:52 AM

NANAIMO — A crash involving a semi-trailer and a small SUV is causing traffic disruptions on the Nanaimo Parkway.

On Wednesday, June 19 just before 6 a.m. a large commercial semi-truck and an SUV collided in the southbound lanes, just south of the Harewood Mines Rd. overpass of the highway divided by a grass median.

Traffic between the Cedar Rd. and Fifth Street exits were closed for much of the morning in both directions with the southbound opening back up around 11:30 a.m., and the northbound lanes remained closed until just before 4:00 p.m. as the scene was cleaned up.

Nanaimo RCMP Sgt. Darwin Tetreault said it was a head-on collision, with a large dump truck ending up flipped on its side, pinning the driver in his cab.

Both vehicles ended up in the northbound lanes.

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“Thankfully, the bins the truck was hauling were empty… the driver tried to compensate, tried to avoid the collision, overcompensated of course, and he went first into the soft soil of the median and then went back out onto the highway and momentum is not in his favour at the time and the vehicle flipped on to its driver side.”

The driver of the dump truck was flown to hospital after being trapped for about two hours in the rig’s cabin. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

He said once Nanaimo Fire Rescue (NFR) crews arrived, they had to secure the semi to ensure it would not fall while they had to “basically cut it up into pieces in order to extract the driver.”

Tetreault said the driver of the semi was pinned for over two hours before he was freed then flown to Victoria General Hospital for more advanced medical treatment.

The driver of the smaller SUV suffered only minor injuries, and was transported locally to Nanaimo hospital.

Tetreault said it’s unclear what led to the collision, but stated it’s a criminal investigation.

Both drivers appeared to be doing highway speeds, while any form of impairments are not considered to be factors, Tetreault told NanaimoNewsNOW.

Aftermath of the SUV following a serious collision with a dump truck on the Nanaimo Parkway on Wednesday, June 19. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

Northbound traffic was being diverted to continue along Hwy. 1 near the Cedar Rd. junction in Chase River, while southbound traffic was being sent down Fifth St.

Drivers are asked to avoid the Nanaimo Parkway if possible and travel along the Island Hwy. as Tetreault said the impacted section of Nanaimo Parkway. will be closed for much of Wednesday morning.

“Plan accordingly if you’re going somewhere for that not to be used. And we’re doing traffic diversion from the collision point North, we’re doing traffic diversion into the city and through the city by Northfield, Mostar, Aulds… but those are smaller streets and they can’t handle the traffic flow, so plan accordingly.”

He said there is a chance they’ll be able to open the southbound lanes earlier, but the northbound lanes are expected to be closed for a “significant” length of time.

The semi was carrying two containers which were luckily empty. This bin was propelled about 75 meters from its truck. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

Tetreault said normally those driving larger vehicles have a better chance of coming out of a serious collision unscathed, especially when they collide with a smaller vehicle.

Safety measures included in the newer model SUV likely saved the driver’s life, as he walked away from a serious collision with only minor injuries, Tetrault noted.

“Every airbag in that thing went off. The knees, the curtain airbags, the airbags in the steering wheel, and undoubtedly, that vehicle saved his life. Seatbelts, crumple zone technology, airbags. Without that, that person wouldn’t have had a chance.”

Crime scene tape along the Parkway Trail east of the highway with multiple RCMP officers protecting the scene.

A police drone flew above the scene as part of the investigation.

The crash occurred near the U-turn lane of the Nanaimo Parkway just south of the Harewood Mines Rd. overpass. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

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