Injuries to two men whose vehicle collided with a semi-trailer in South Surrey Wednesday morning were far less severe than initially believed.
Surrey RCMP Cpl. Bert Paquet said the next day that the driver and passenger – Coquitlam residents aged 44 and 32 years old, respectively – were both released from hospital just hours after the crash.
“It’s very good news,” Paquet said Thursday. “Our first indication was that they had been transferred with serious but non-lifethreatening injuries.”
Police, firefighters and paramedics were dispatched to the intersection of 24 Avenue and 176 Street around 7:30 a.m. Jan. 30.
According to the police report, the collision occurred when a semi northbound on 176 Street struck an Acura that was turning left off of the highway to head east on 24 Avenue.
The impact sent the Acura into a traffic standard in the intersection’s northeast corner.
The vehicle was “pretty much destroyed,” Paquet said.
Damage was such that firefighters had to use extraction equipment to get the passenger out.
“Considering all those factors, it’s absolutely amazing that both were home with their family last night,” Paquet said of the two occupants. “In those collisions where David meets Goliath, we’re always scared what the outcome could be.”
The truck driver was not injured.
Area roads were closed for four hours as a result. Cause of the crash remains under investigation.
