Morning Star Staff
In normal circumstances, a North Okanagan Traffic Services police officer is dispatched to the scene of an accident.
Rarely do they get to witness one.
However, a NOTS officer working traffic enforcement Friday at 10:30 p.m. on Highway 97 near Irish Creek Road north of Vernon had an accident nearly land literally in his lap.
“The officer had his vehicle parked well off the roadway facing south as he was using stationary radar to monitor the speed of the northbound traffic,” explained Vernon-North Okanagan RCMP spokesperson Gord Molendyk.
“Two northbound vehicles approached at approximately 80 kilometres/hour when the lead vehicle did not follow the curve of the highway.”
The vehicle crossed the road, drove across the gravel lot, beside the officer’s vehicle and up the bank behind his car.
The 2002 Toyota truck then rolled over, landing upside down on the southbound lane of Hwy 97.
“Our officer immediately turned his vehicle around and protected the accident scene,” said Molendyk.
The driver identified himself and told the officer that he had fallen asleep.
The 68-year-old man from Falkland was the only occupant of the vehicle except for his dog. The dog was uninjured in the accident.
The driver was taken by ambulance to Vernon Jubilee Hospital where he was treated and released with minor injuries. The driver was issued a Motor Vehicle Act violation ticket for failing to keep right.
