Minivan crashes into semi truck after driving wrong way on Highway 3

LETHBRIDGE — A man was sent to hospital after running into a semi truck just outside Lethbridge city limits in southern Alberta on Tuesday night.

RCMP said around 10 p.m. the man, who is in his 50’s, drove his minivan for three kilometres in the wrong direction after turning east into the westbound lane of Highway 3 at Coalhurst.

Get daily National news

Get daily Canada news delivered to your inbox so you'll never miss the day's top stories.

Sign up for daily National newsletter Get Started

By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.

The westbound semi truck driver saw the oncoming van and tried to move out of the way, but police said the van veered into the front of the semi, hitting it head on.

Traffic was backed up for over an hour, as emergency crews cleaned up the scene.

The driver of the van was rushed to hospital with non-life threatening injuries. The man driving the semi-truck was not hurt.

Police said they were actively investigating driver impairment as a contributing factor in the crash.  As of Wednesday morning charges had not yet been laid.