A B.C. cyclist is in hospital with broken bones and a punctured lung – but happy to be alive – after getting hit from behind with an unsecured load of wood on the bed of a truck along the Sea-to-Sky Highway this past long weekend.
Squamish RCMP responded to reports of a collision involving two cyclists and a truck along Highway 99 near Lions Bay just before 11 a.m. on Monday (Aug. 3).
According to Mounties, witnesses said that a strap which was meant to secure the load of lumber in place had appeared to have broken, causing the load to shift and protrude over the shoulder of the highway – unbeknownst to the driver.
One of the cyclists, who has identified himself on social media as 45-year-old Todd Nickel, was struck by the load and knocked to the ground.
He was taken to Lions Gate Hospital where he confirmed in a tweet that he had suffered a broken clavicle, scapula, broke eight ribs and had a punctured lung.
Meanwhile, traffic investigators were able to locate the driver of the truck, who was issued two violation tickets under the BC Motor Vehicle Act: driving without consideration and driving with insecure cargo. If convicted, the tickets carry a combined potential fine of $269.
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