The west leg of Anthony Henday Drive was closed Friday morning due to a fatal collision between Lessard Road and Callingwood Road.
Police say two pick-up trucks collided in the northbound lanes of the major Edmonton freeway at around 6:50 a.m.
Video from our Global 1 helicopter shows two vehicles in the ditch. One was on its roof, while a truck was heavily damaged.
The EPS said a Dodge Ram was reportedly heading south when it crossed over the grass median to the northbound lanes, where it collided with a Ford F150.
Police said two men were involved in the crash.
The 44-year-old driver of the Dodge truck was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
The 31-year-old driver of the Ford truck died in hospital.
“It’s definitely a tragedy, with the deceased and the families affected,” Sgt. James McLeod, with the Edmonton Police Service Major Collisions Investigation Unit, said. “We all know this is Thanksgiving weekend so there’s going to be may people impacted.”
Initially the Henday was closed both southbound and northbound at the Callingwood/62 Avenue exit, and southbound at the Lessard exit. The closure caused a huge backlog on the already overcrowded southwest stretch of the ring road.
As of 10:30 a.m., the southbound lanes had reopened. The northbound lanes re-opened shortly after 2 p.m.
The cause of the crash is still under investigation, but police said alcohol and drugs are not believed to be factors. Officers are still investigating to determine if speed was a factor.
Investigators are hoping to speak to more witnesses.
“Every little piece of information helps us as to what the other driver may have been doing prior to crossing the media. We don’t know so maybe that witness can bring that information to us,” McLeod said.
Anyone with information is asked to call police at 780-423-4567.