Coquihalla accident that killed 1, injured 4, possibly caused by driver suffering a stroke
A West Kelowna family was travelling to Vancouver when the single-vehicle crash happened
The person who was killed and four others who were injured in a single-vehicle rollover crash on the Coquihalla Highway Saturday were all members of a West Kelowna family, CBC has confirmed.
Grandmother Peewee Fortuno died at the scene. Ron and Sheela Bee and their daughters Maia and Aila all suffered injuries and remain in hospital.
The family was travelling to visit relatives in Vancouver when their car went off the highway, according to an online fundraiser set up by Linnea and Andrew Worthington. Linnea Worthington identifies herself as an aunt.
"It is my understanding that Ron suffered a stroke while driving and drove off the road at high speed. This is the medical explanation and it hasn't been confirmed by the ongoing accident scene investigation," reads the post.
Emergency responders found a damaged Mazda CX-9 on its side just after 8:30 a.m. PT Saturday south of the Portia brake check between Merritt and Hope.
The person pronounced dead at the scene was in her 70s, according to RCMP.
Both injured adults were airlifted to hospital and underwent emergency surgery while one of the daughters was airlifted to B.C. Children's Hospital in critical condition. The other daughter suffered serious injuries.
All four are expected to survive, according to the online post.
Investigations by the B.C. Highway Patrol and BC Coroners Service are ongoing.