UPDATE: Head on crash in Peachland kills Sicamous man

UPDATE: One person is dead and another is in critical condition following a head-on collision on Highway 97 in Peachland.

The collision occurred at around 6 p.m. Monday near Brent Road where a white Pontiac SUV crossed the centre line and collided with an oncoming cube van.

The driver of the SUV, a 33-year-old Sicamous man, was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the cube van, an unidentified woman from Penticton, was rushed to hospital where she remains in critical but stable condition.

RCMP say poor weather may have been a factor leading up to the crash.

“It was raining heavily which also affected visibility,” says Cst. Steve Holmes of the Kelowna Municipal Traffic Services. “Though police are not yet able to confirm exactly what led to this tragic crash, the RCMP’s Traffic Analyst conducted a thorough scene investigation which may give us more insights once the analysis is complete.”

RCMP are looking for witnesses to the crash.

The name of the Sicamous man has not been released.

Original story

PEACHLAND, B.C. – A three vehicle accident shut down Highway 97 south of Peachland Monday at 6:15 p.m.

Emergency responders who arrived at the crash reported seeing a 5-tonne truck and two other vehicles involved in the collision.

An air ambulance was called to the scene above Brent Road. At least one victim was said to have life threatening injuries, with occupants of the truck looked to be trapped, according to emergency reports from the scene.

Traffic was stopped in both directions as emergency crews worked on clearing the accident.

A single-direction alternating detour on Brent Road helped clear traffic, but motorists were still backed up in both directions hours after the crash.