Rollover sends elderly couple to hospital, as van nearly hits emergency crews

CALGARY- A serious crash nearly resulted in emergency crews also being injured near Lake Louise on Wednesday.

RCMP, fire crews and EMS were called to a single vehicle rollover around 9:30 a.m. at Highway 1 and Highway 93N, and found a silver SUV upside down in the ditch.

Officials believe the driver ran a stop sign, and drove over an embankment at the end of a T-intersection. Speed is also believed to be a factor.

Good Samaritans had already helped pull out the driver, who is an 89-year-old man. However, his 81-year-old wife was trapped in the passenger seat.

Fire crews managed to free her, and she was taken to hospital in serious condition. Her husband was also taken to hospital as a precaution.

While crews were cleaning up the crash, a red van ran right through the barricade surrounding the scene, and narrowly missed RCMP and a tow truck operator.

Stephen Sharples of Calgary has since been charged with driving with undue care and attention.