COCHRANE— Cochrane RCMP responded to the second serious dangerous driver incident in the space of a week on Sunday (Aug. 2).
Cochrane RCMP received a complaint of a dangerous driver on Highway 22 north of Cochrane in the early morning of Sunday (Aug. 2). Cochrane RCMP Cpl. Troy Savinkoff said they received reports of a vehicle headed towards oncoming vehicles and failing to maintain a centre of lane.
“It was presenting a really serious danger to the users of the road,” Savinkoff said.
RCMP members located the vehicle but the driver failed to stop. Due to the danger the driver presented RCMP engaged in a pursuit to try and get the driver to stop in the interest of public safety.
Three oncoming vehicles took evasive action to avoid colliding with the suspect vehicle.
A fourth vehicle, a semi, attempted to avoid a collision with the vehicle but the suspect clipped the side of the semi causing them to enter the ditch and rollover. The vehicle then caught fire.
The accident injured the occupant but RCMP members were then able to extricate the driver, a 36-year-old man from Calgary, until EMS arrived and took him to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, Savinkoff said. Occupants of other vehicles were not injured during the incident.
RCMP are still investigating the cause of the accident, Savinkoff said, but RCMP do not believe alcohol was a factor. They are looking at other factors, including drugs, that could have led to the incident.
Savinkoff said RCMP continues to investigate the collision and the driver is expected to face charges.
The incident serves as an important reminder to stay sober while driving, Savinkoff said. He added that people need to be aware that even prescription drugs can negatively influence a driver's ability.
“Just because a doctor has prescribed a drug doesn’t mean that it’s legal to operate machinery, as per the directions on the pill bottles, after taking it,” Savinkoff said. “We do see a lot of impaired drivers that have taken different prescription medications and have caused some pretty serious collisions because of it.”
Savinkoff noted that this is the second serious incident Cochrane RCMP have responded to this week.
Cochrane RCMP and an Alberta Sheriff located a dangerous driver Monday (July 27) after receiving multiple complaints of a dangerous driver in a black Toyota 4 Runner on eastbound Highway 1 coming from Canmore.
“He was driving almost a 190km/hr through ditches on Highway 1— It’s unbelievable that guy didn’t die or hurt somebody it was really bad,” Savinkoff said. “When our officers arrived the male was acting in an extremely erratic fashion— It was pretty extreme behaviour.”
The driver was allegedly involved in multiple hit and run collisions in the Canmore area and was seen driving in and out of ditches and the median before driving backwards in the eastbound lane of Highway 1.
RCMP located the driver on Old Banff Coach Road on the roof of the car acting erratically. Before stopping the driver was reportedly wearing a mask and waving a stick-like object out of the window.
RCMP were able to take the man into custody without incident.
“There’s been some pretty horrible significant driving patterns,” Savinkoff said. “It’s the second incident in the last seven days involving some pretty crazy behaviour that wasn’t due to alcohol.”
