Impairment suspected in severe New Years Day crash in Nanaimo

NANAIMO — Two people were taken to hospital following a serious single vehicle crash on the Nanaimo Parkway New Years Day.

Nanaimo RCMP Res. Cst. Gary O’Brien said it happened Wednesday, Jan. 1 around 8:15 a.m. involving a northbound driver of a red Toyota Corolla veering off the road north of the Fifth St. intersection.

“For unknown reasons the vehicle went off the roadway right, there’s a steep embankment at that point, it struck a tree, spun and then came to a stop,” O’Brien told NanaimoNewsNOW.

He stated the 21-year-old driver from Nanaimo and 23-year-old out-of-town passenger were taken to hospital with serious injuries.