UPDATE Police say Vernon crash claimed one life, eyewitness describes scene

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“A pick-up truck was making a left hand turn from 30th Avenue onto 27th Street when a westbound motorcycle entered the intersection and struck the passenger side of the pick-up. Despite being rushed to hospital by ambulance crews, the operator of the motorcycle, a 22-year-old Vernon man, succumbed to his injuries. The driver of the pick-up truck remained on scene and was cooperative with police investigators,” said Cpl. Tania Finn, media relations officer for Vernon North Okanagan RCMP.

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Finn said numerous people stopped to render assistance to the motorcyclist (see eyewitness account below).

“Investigators have spoken with a number of witnesses but are still interested in speaking with anyone who was travelling eastbound on 30th Avenue at the time of the collision.”

The site of the crash was closed for several hours while police investigated the fatality.

The BC Coroners Service and the RCMP continue to investigate the incident. Anyone with information regarding the collision, who have not already spoken to police, is urged to contact Const. Steven McCarthy of the Vernon North Okanagan RCMP at (250) 545-7171.

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UPDATE 10 a.m.

An eyewitness has given his account of a serious crash involving a motorcycle and a pickup truck in Vernon this morning.

It happened on 27th Street at 30th Avenue in front of the Vernon courthouse just before 8:00 a.m.

Dennis Webb was waiting at the light, going south on 27th Street, when the accident occurred.

He tells Vernon Matters the motorbike was travelling west on 30th Avenue and collided with a pickup truck attempting to make a left hand turn from 30th onto 27th Street.

“She [woman driving the pickup] was coming up the hill and the sun was in her eyes. And when she went to turn left, she was still rolling and a motorbike came down the hill. Now, whether she was at the last part of her left turn signal [and wanted] to get around the corner in a hurry, or he [bike driver] was anticipating the light was going to turn green — anyway, it was a t-bone. She hit him right across the front of her truck. It bent the front bumper right up underneath. She drove, kind of, up on top of him — not right over him — but he was under the front end. So she backed away to get him out from under the front end, and of course, she was distraught,” said Webb.

Webb, a local resident, said it was a horrific scene after that.

“There was lots of people there. There was at least six to eight people attending to him right away, putting blankets under his head, but he wasn’t breathing. They were attempting to give him CPR. The fire truck arrived first and they were giving CPR and the the ambulance arrived. It all happened in minutes. I think I made the initial call to the ambulance. I called 911 as soon as it happened.”

Webb is adamant the sun was a factor in the crash, and in his opinion, it appeared the woman driving the pickup truck had the right of way.

“I think the light was still green arrow for her. I think he was anticipating the light changing so he could go through because he didn’t even slow down.”

Police have yet to release details, and that block of 27th Street was shut down to traffic for the police investigation, but has since reopened.

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8 a.m.

Police are on the scene of a serious motor vehicle incident at the intersection of 27th Street and 30th Avenue near the Vernon courthouse.

At this time, traffic is being diverted around this area and police are asking motorists to use an alternate route.

Police say additional information will be released when it becomes available.

Witnesses tell Vernon Matters a motorcycle was involved.