Two pickup trucks crashed on the Malahat near Split Rock just before 8 a.m. on Thursday, June 23, causing life-threatening injuries to one woman and snarling traffic at one of the busiest times of the day.
“It looked like another case of a vehicle crossing the centre line,” Malahat Fire Chief Rob Patterson.
“Two pickup trucks were involved. There was one person in each truck. They were both taken to hospital.”
Police are now asking any witnesses to the collision to come forward.
Preliminary investigation indicates a Mazda pickup truck travelling south on Highway 1 towards Victoria lost control and crossed the centre line of the highway, colliding with a northbound Chevrolet pickup truck.
“There was a male in the Chevy; he was out of the vehicle and able to communicate. The female, the [paramedics] had to pull her out of the truck she was in. She was in tough shape. They had to transport her,” said Patterson.
The Malahat was closed for several hours while the scene examination was completed. Traffic was forced to detour onto South Shawnigan Lake Road. Anyone with information is asked to contact South Island Traffic Services at 250-416-0352.