Update: Hotel not taking blame for icy highway & crashes; points finger at lack of ditch maintenance

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Jacqueline Brooks, the hotel’s general manager, says a catchment basin failed, which she blames on the Transportation Ministry and local government for failing to maintain the ditches that she says normally would have caught the water flow before it went across the highway.

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“There is no ditch, so where the water should run down a ditch and go into a catchment basin when accidents do happen. They have completely failed to maintain those ditches, so instead of running down the ditch into a catchment basin where it should run when something like this occurs, it ran across the highway,” Brooks told Vernon Matters.

Brooks says the ditch is full of weeds, sand, salt and gravel, and is level with the road.

She says they had no idea about the water’s impact until they saw a maintenance truck looking at the catchment basin afterwards.

“We were lowering the level of the pool, putting a cover on, winterizing it. That is in the middle of the property, so we had no idea. If we would have seen that, we would have shut it down in two seconds.”

Brooks says they have spoken to the police about the incident, but she says they are not to blame.

“Absolutely not. We were doing what we’ve done every single year. Had the ditches functioned as they are supposed to, this would never have happened.”

RCMP put out a release today advising drivers to be prepared for “winter driving conditions” and noting there had been “several single vehicle collisions” on Highway 97 north of Vernon this morning.

“Fortunately, initial reports are of no injuries to the passengers or drivers of any of the vehicles,” said Const. Jocelyn Noseworthy.

“Drivers need to remember that roads are often icy this time of the year” added Noseworthy. “RCMP are asking motorists to drive to conditions, and make sure your vehicle is winter-ready.”
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Update 10:50 a.m.

A number of vehicles were involved in a crash north of Vernon this morning, caused by icy roads from an unusual source.

Several vehicles collided in the northbound lane near Swan Lake Nurseryland around 9 a.m., which led to several other vehicles losing control and rear-ending other vehicles.

No official word on any injuries but Vernon Matters has reached out to RCMP and B.C. Ambulance for details.

Fire-rescue officials say the ice on the road was a result of a hotel in that area draining its pool, with the water coming down the bank, onto the highway and freezing.

RCMP will reportedly be following that up with the hotel.

The highway has now reopened in both directions.

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Update: 10:30 a.m.

Emergency personnel have cleared the scene, and northbound lanes have reopened.

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Update 10:13 a.m.

Southbound traffic has been fully reopened, and highway has been salted.

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Part of the highway north of Vernon was like a skating rink this morning.

The icy conditions caused what was reported as a three-vehicle crash in the northbound lane near Swan Lake Nurseryland around 9 a.m., which led to several other vehicles coming upon the scene, losing control and rear-ending other vehicles.

One person was reportedly injured in one of the rear-enders, and there may be other injuries.

Apparently the highway was icy due to water on the road from a road construction project.

Emergency vehicles are on the scene, and tow trucks have been called to remove some of the vehicles.

Salt is being put down on the road in that area to make it safer.

Vernon Matters has reached out to RCMP and B.C. Ambulance for details.