A stolen truck was involved in two collisions in the North Shuswap and fled the scene of both.
Police were called to a head-on collision on the single-lane bridge east of the community of Scotch Creek at 8 a.m. on Aug. 25. According to Sgt. Barry Kennedy of the Chase RCMP, two vehicles were crossing the narrow bridge heading west when a white F-350 approached the bridge from the west. The western approach to the bridge has a sign, warning drivers to yield to oncoming traffic.
The first vehicle approaching the bridge was able to swerve out of the way of the truck while the driver of the second vehicle, a Mercedes Benz, had no time to react and collided with the truck head-on. The F-350 maneuvered around the other vehicle and proceeded towards Scotch Creek.
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Kennedy said the driver of the Mercedes was treated for facial injuries.
About five minutes after the first collision, police received word of another crash, this one at the Squilax-Anglemont Road intersection with Ashe Road near the Scotch Creek Provincial Park.
A white F-350 collided with a Kia, injuring the driver, and then left the scene. The driver of the Kia had to be transported to the hospital in Salmon Arm.
According to Kennedy, the F-350 was located, seriously damaged and pulled over on the side of Squilax-Anglemont Road, shortly after the second collision. Witnesses told police that the driver of the damaged pickup got out of the vehicle and was picked up by a blue pickup truck with a silver grille and left, travelling east towards Celista.
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The driver of the F-350 is described as a heavy-set white male with a short beard wearing a black hoodie. The woman behind the wheel of the blue truck is said to be about five feet tall with light and dark wavy hair; she was wearing a pair of sunglasses when witnesses saw her.
Police believe the man who left the F-350 behind sustained some kind of injury in the two collisions.
The F-350 was reported stolen from Oliver on Aug. 22.
The RCMP are investigating the collisions and canvassing local businesses which might have video footage of the suspects or vehicles involved.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Chase RCMP Detachment at 250-679-3221, or Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS).
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