(File photo/ paNOW Staff)

By Nigel Maxwell

Accident investigation

“This definitely could have been a lot worse”: RCMP on passenger van crash

Jul 8, 2019 | 12:00 PM

The RCMP are providing more information about Friday morning’s crash involving two passengers vans and 14 people which occured north of Shellbrook.

Kent Ashworth, Sgt. in charge of the Ahtahkakoop/ Shellbrook RCMP detachment, told paNOW the two vans had been heading home to La Ronge from a powwow at Mistawasis First Nation. The vans had just turned onto Highway 240 and were heading east.

“So basically it was one vehicle following the other and [one van] ran into the back of the other,” he said.

The cause of the crash still remains under investigation although RCMP do not suspect alcohol was a factor.

Parkland Ambulance has confirmed of the 14 people involved, eight people were cared for by paramedics at the scene and taken to Shellbrook Hospital with minor injuries. All have since been treated and released from hospital.

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“Having been at many more collisions over my career, this definitely could have been a lot worse,” Ashworth added.

Editor’s note: This story has been amended to correct earlier RCMP reports that 14 people had been taken to hospital.

nigel.maxwell@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell