UPDATE: On Oct. 6, 2023, the RCMP provided an update on their investigation. Click here for the latest.
A woman died on a northern Alberta highway on Sunday after the vehicle she was in was hit by a pipe that had detached from a truck’s load, according to her daughter.
Nichole Didzena said her mother Jill and a younger sister were driving north on Highway 44 south of Slave Lake, Alta., when they passed a red semi-truck going the other direction around 4 p.m.
Didzena said she was told about what happened by her sister and the RCMP.
“Two pipes fell off and were bouncing on the road,” she said. “The pipe was actually coming towards the passenger side, so my mom swerved and the pipe hit her instead.”
Police said the incident happened on Highway 44, near Highway 2 and Township Road 684.
Didzena said her 19-year-old sister, who was riding in the passenger seat, told her she believes their mother died on impact.
The RCMP issued news releases confirming some details about the deadly incident on Sunday night. They said officers are looking to speak with the driver of the truck, or anyone else who witnessed or has dashcam footage of the truck or the incident.
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“If anyone was in that area around that time that could have seen anything — even a bit before or a bit after — people should kind of think about if they were there, if they saw anything, just to come forward,” said Cpl. Mathew Howell.
“We want to help resolve whatever questions are left on this.”
Howell added that the driver is not considered a “suspect” at this point, but police would like to talk to them to get more information about what happened.
Didzena said her family is now pleading for the driver, or anyone with more information about the incident or the truck involved, to come forward so they can have an explanation.
“The semi-truck driver kept driving … (they) didn’t stop,” Didzena said, adding she believes the driver must have noticed when the pipes flew off the truck.
Didzena said her mother was taking an Indigenous master’s of social work and cared deeply about her community,
“She did a lot of activism work and worked with the community. She just wanted the best for everyone,” she said.
Didzena said her mother had seven children and a lot of grandchildren.
“She was a big family person … she just had a big heart.”
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