Highway 97 collision remains under investigation

Five people were injured recently after a dump truck collided with three vehicles at the intersection of 100th Street and Highway 97 in Fort St. John on the afternoon of June 24.

Local RCMP responded to the collision around 3:30 in the afternoon, with members from multiple units responding alongside the BC Conservation Officer Service, which assisted with traffic control as emergency crews worked at the scene.

BC Emergency Health Services and the Fort St. John Fire Department also responded, providing treatment to multiple occupants before transporting those injured from the scene for further medical care according to the release.

The Alaska Highway remained closed for several hours as the Fort St. John RCMP Integrated Collision Analysis Reconstruction Service carried out a full analysis of the collision scene as part of the ongoing investigation.

Police have since determined the collision involved a dump truck and three other vehicles, with the crash leaving five occupants injured, although RCMP have not released any additional information about those involved.

“Currently multiple additional investigative steps are being conducted to determine the cause of the collision,” said Constable Christiaan Dreyer, Media Relations Officer with the Fort St. John RCMP.

The investigation will continue and police have asked anyone who may have been in the area with dash-camera footage of the collision to contact the Fort St. John RCMP at 250-787-8100.

Since the crash, two GoFundMe pages have been started for people injured in the collision, giving the community a better idea of just how serious this has been for the families involved.

One of the fundraisers is for two-year-old Luis and his family. According to the GoFundMe, Luis suffered significant internal injuries, multiple broken bones and a severe traumatic brain injury. He was transported to BC Children's Hospital in Vancouver, where he remains in an induced coma.

The fundraiser says Marika was also injured and remained hospitalized in Fort St. John until June 26, while Olivia and Elias thankfully suffered only minor injuries.

The family says money raised will help with travel, accommodations, meals, lost income and the other costs that come with being away from home while Luis remains in BC Children’s Hospital.

A second GoFundMe has been started for Logan Sims, a Fort St. John welder who was also seriously injured in the collision.

According to the fundraiser, Logan suffered multiple skull fractures and significant brain swelling, and was airlifted to Edmonton, where he remains in a medically induced coma with his family by his side.

The fundraiser describes Logan as hardworking, genuine, and the kind of person who would drop everything to help a friend in need.

Money raised for Logan will help with travel and accommodation costs for his family, out-of-pocket medical expenses, rehabilitation, lost income, and other costs connected to his recovery.

Those wishing to support the families can find the fundraisers on GoFundMe.