A driver suffered serious injuries in a crash that shut down Island Highway lanes north of Nanaimo this morning.
Police, Lantzville Fire Rescue, B.C. Ambulance Service and B.C. Hydro responded to the incident that happened shortly after 6 a.m. Friday, Aug. 22, on Highway 19 just north of Superior Road, according to a Nanaimo RCMP press release.
Based on statements from witnesses and evidence gathered by police on the scene, the vehicle went off the roadway to the right and hit a power pole, ricocheted back onto the highway and rolled several times before coming to rest in the northbound lanes. The 38-year-old driver sustained serious injuries and had to be airlifted to hospital from the scene. To ensure a safe landing zone for the air ambulance, the southbound lanes were also closed temporarily.
The crash reportedly caused a significant traffic backup, but police on scene managed to re-route traffic onto Superior Road and Lantzville Road, before the highway was reopened to traffic shortly before 9 a.m.
The investigation into the crash is continuing and police are asking for any motorists who witnessed the incident or have dash cam video of the crash to call the Nanaimo RCMP non-emergency line at 250-754-2345 and refer to file No. 2025-26707.
