A Sturgeon County man is dead after a two-truck collision early this morning, and police say ice may be to blame.
Morinville RCMP reported Friday afternoon that two pickup trucks collided at the intersection of Township Road 554 and Hwy. 28 about seven kilometres east of Cardiff at about 2:30 a.m. that morning.
RCMP Cpl. Bryce Tarzwell said one of the trucks, the lone occupant of which was a Sturgeon County man in his 40s, headed eastbound on Twp. 544 and did not stop before it entered the intersection with Hwy. 28. A second truck travelling south on the highway, containing three adult males, was unable to stop in time and hit the first truck on the driver's side.
The county man was pronounced dead at the scene, Tarzwell said. The other three men, none of whom were county residents, were treated for minor injuries and released.
Police closed the highway for about three hours while they cleared debris from the collision and conducted an investigation.
Investigators have ruled out alcohol as a cause of this collision, Tarzwell said, and were still analysing the speeds of the vehicles as of this writing.
Police suspect icy conditions may be behind this collision, Tarzwell said, as Twp. 554 was slippery with icy patches. The fact that it was a gravel road at this location may have compounded this problem.
“Due to the crazy weather patterns we're getting, intersections are starting to get really icy.” He urged drivers to be extra cautious when approaching crosswalks or intersections this month as a result.
This was the first traffic fatality in the county so far this year, Tarzwell said, and the first in at least two years at this intersection. “It's a relatively safe intersection,” he said, with clear visibility for miles around.
The intersection of Twp. 554 and Hwy. 28 is unlit, with stop signs on either side of the highway. The speed limit on Hwy. 28 is 100 kilometres an hour and 80 on Twp. 554.
The name of the deceased has not been released at the request of his family, Tarzwell said. Morinville County Victim Services are providing assistance to family and friends.
Police are continuing to investigate the collision.
