Speed believed to be factor in deadly southern Alberta crash

Police believe speed and weather conditions may have been factors in a crash that left two people dead and another injured in southern Alberta Monday night.

Just before 5 p.m., Crowsnest Pass RCMP were called to a three-vehicle crash on Highway 22 at Range Road 21 south of Maycroft bridge. The crash happened about 20 kilometres north of Highway 3. The location is about 50 kilometres northwest of Pincher Creek, Alta.

Police said a car and an SUV collided head-on along Highway 22. After the initial crash, a semi collided with the car, the RCMP said Tuesday.

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“When we arrived on scene, there were three vehicles involved — heavily damaged — and traffic was rerouted around the scene to allow for EMS and fire to assist,” Cpl. Joshua Atkinson with Crowsnest Pass RCMP said Tuesday.

The 34-year-old man driving the car was pronounced dead at the scene. RCMP did not release the man’s name but said he was from Leduc, Alta.

The driver of the SUV, a 59-year-old man from Creston, B.C., was also pronounced dead at the scene. A Creston, B.C. woman who was the passenger in the SUV was taken to Calgary hospital with serious, but non-life-threatening injuries.

The driver of the semi was not injured, Atkinson said.

“There was heavy fog throughout that portion of Highway 22 from Highway 3 north past the area of the collision. Speed was also believed to be a contributing factor,” Atkinson said.

The highway was closed for several hours until it reopened at around 2 a.m. Tuesday.

RCMP said they are looking through dashcam footage from multiple vehicles as part of the investigation.