On Friday, April 7, 2017, at approximately 11:30pm, Portage la Prairie RCMP were dispatched to a traffic collision on Saskatchewan Avenue East.
Officers arrived within minutes of the call and observed a vehicle lying on the driver’s side in a ditch filled with water. A child could be heard screaming from the vehicle. Officers looked inside the vehicle and could see that an infant, still strapped to his car seat, was partially submerged in freezing cold water. One of the officers removed his safety equipment and climbed into the vehicle through the broken front passenger side window. Upon reaching the child in the back seat, the officer cut the child free from his child seat. Once removed, the one year old infant was immediately taken to hospital by other officers who were on scene.
Police spoke with the driver, who was at the scene, and determined that her vehicle, carrying five occupants in total, lost control and rolled into the ditch. A 29-year-old female passenger was ejected from the vehicle, as well, two female infants, ages two and one, were also in the vehicle at the time of the collision. All occupants were taken to hospital.
“Our officers acted quickly that evening and saved a young life,” said Inspector Rick Head, Officer in Charge of the Portage la Prairie Detachment. “This incident also speaks to the dangers of impaired driving, this could have resulted in a tragic loss of life. We are thankful that only minor injuries were sustained and that everyone has since been released from hospital.”
As a result of this incident, a 29-year-old Portage La Prairie woman is facing numerous charges, including impaired operation of a motor vehicle.
