One man was airlifted to hospital with serious injuries resulted from riding on top of van on an Alberni Valley logging road last night, according to Port Alberni RCMP Cpl. Patrick Jenkins.
“It occured on the Ash Main forest service road yesterday (July 26) evening,” said Jenkins. The RCMP received the call for the motor vehicle incident at about 7:30 p.m. The incident occured at the nine kilometre mark of the logging road.
“When we arrived on scene we encountered one injured male who was airlifted to Victoria General Hospital with serious injuries,” said Jenkins.
“Our initial investigation determined that he was actually riding on top of the vehicle… and sustained serious injuries from falling off the vehicle while it was in motion,” said Jenkins. The injuries were considered life threatening at the time of the incident but the RCMP have yet to be updated as to his current condition.
“We don’t know if he was sitting or standing or what but he was located on the roof of the van.”
No collision occured but alcohol was involved in the incident but Jenkins said that RCMP have not yet determined if alcohol was a factor. The driver of the van is in custody under investigation.
Jenkins said that while he sees individuals riding in the back of pickup trucks, riding on top of vans is more rare. But either way, he adds, it’s both illegal and dangerous.
“Riding in a motor vehicle or on top of a motor vehicle if you’re not secured with a seat belt is an extremely dangerous practice and this is the outcome of that. People get seriously injured,” he said. “It’s against the law, people can be ticketed for that.”
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