On Saturday, September 17, 2016 between 12:30pm and 10pm, Manitoba RCMP responded to three serious collisions across the province, resulting in numerous fatalities.
At approximately 12:30 pm, RCMP responded to a four vehicle collision at the intersection of Pipeline Road and the Perimeter Highway. Emergency personnel provided medical care to nine people on scene. A 9-year-old female was transported by ambulance to hospital in critical condition along with a 71-year-old woman in unstable condition. Both remain in hospital and are now in stable condition. Initial investigation revealed that a vehicle traveling south on Pipeline Road failed to stop at a red light and was struck by a mini-van traveling east on the Perimeter.
At 12:50pm, Brandon RCMP were dispatched to reports of seriously injured males that were riding an ATV on Provincial Road 340, approximately 8 kilometres south of Shilo. Initial investigation revealed that the ATV was traveling at a high rate of speed in a ditch beside Provincial Road 340 when it came upon an embankment. The slope of the embankment, combined with the speed, caused the ATV to travel through the air. The landing of the ATV resulted in serious injuries to the two male riders, both were wearing seatbelts and helmets. The injured, ages 59 and 51 were both from Brandon and were later pronounced deceased on scene.
At 9:50 pm, Killarney RCMP and emergency personnel were dispatched to a single vehicle rollover and reports of an injured male on Highway 23, three kilometres east of Ninette. Emergency personnel located the male laying on the highway near an overturned pickup truck. The injured, a 32-year-old man from Belmont, was later pronounced deceased on scene. Two other adult males that were in the vehicle at the time of the rollover were located near the scene and transported to hospital by ambulance with non-life threatening injuries. Alcohol is believed to be a contributing factor in the rollover.
“In a span of less than 10 hours on Saturday, three people died and 11 were injured on roads and highways throughout Manitoba…this is a tragedy,” said Inspector Ed Moreland, Officer in Charge of Traffic Services for the Manitoba RCMP. “We are continuously seeing drivers put their lives and the lives of others at risk by driving impaired, speeding or simply not paying attention. There is no possible excuse for this behaviour and unless all Manitobans commit to safe driving, this loss of life will continue to occur. For those drivers on our roads that choose to put the lives of others in danger, the Manitoba RCMP will be doing everything it can to stop them and hold them accountable for their actions.”
