Woman struck by car, suffers life-threatening injuries
A 20 year-old female suffered life-threatening injuries after being struck by a vehicle while in a crosswalk at Fortune Drive and Leigh Road in North Kamloops.
The incident occurred at about 10:30 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 7, when a female crossing Fortune in a crosswalk was struck by a red Firefly that ran a red light. The impact of the collision shattered the vehicle's windshield, causing it to cave in, and threw the female about 40 feet.
Ken Mertz, whose house directly overlooks the corner where the woman was struck told KTW he was walking away from the intersection when he heard the collision.
"I'll never get that sound out of my head," he said.
When he turned back, the woman was lying quite a distance from the crosswalk and appeared to be in very bad shape.
The woman was taken to Royal Inland Hospital with what Kamloops RCMP are describing as potentially life-threatening injuries.
Mertz said he sees accidents take place at the intersection all the time.
"It's hazardous going across here," he said. "There's people that run the red light all the time."
RCMP say the driver, who onlookers have described as an elderly man, is co-operating with the investigation. At this time, alcohol is not believed to be a factor.
As of 12:00 p.m., traffic remained backed up in both directions on Fortune Drive and Tranquille Road, north of Overlanders Bridge.
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