Less than 48 hours later, the cause of a tragic car crash that killed two women and injured nine other people at a wedding party in West Vancouver last weekend remains unknown.
According to police, the driver — a woman in her 60s — left her home in the 400-block of Keith Road on Saturday using a shared driveway, and hit a group of people attending the party next door.
Two women in their 60s were pronounced dead at the scene. Seven other people, including the driver, were taken to hospital. Two were in serious condition and two were in critical condition.
“The scene was chaotic,” described Const. Nicole Braithwaite in a Monday update. “It was a tragic incident that happened on what should have been somebody’s happiest day of their lives.”
The driver of the vehicle, a 2016 Range Rover, remains in the hospital. Police did not share any additional information about her condition on Monday.
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“Right now we know what happened but we’re trying to figure out how and why this incident happened,” said Braithwaite.
“In the upcoming days and weeks we will be collecting an abundance of evidence that will determine whether charges will be laid.”
A nearby resident said he was painting his house when he heard “a bunch of screaming” on Saturday.
“It was horrible,” he told Global News, speaking on condition of anonymity. “It sounded like a vehicle rolling through something big.”
Sirens followed about eight minutes later, he estimated. He said he walked down to the corner of his street to see if he could help.
“You could tell that the first responders were all taking the event extremely seriously and they seemed upset, like it wasn’t a routine call for them,” he said.
“I think everybody in the neighbourhood is pretty upset about it.”
Cpl. Dave Noon, who is part of the unit charged with the forensic reconstruction of vehicle accidents, said all possible causes will be investigated, including speed, alcohol and pre-existing medical conditions.
In his eight years on the team, he said he has been to more than 100 fatal collisions — each of them tragic — but this the first time the unit has been called to a wedding.
The West Vancouver Police Department is encouraging anyone affected by the incident and in need of support to contact its Victims Services team at 604-925-7468.
Police had initially reported 10 people had been injured. On Monday, they reported seven had been injured. On Tuesday, they confirmed with BC Emergency Health Services that nine were injured.
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