Family of man killed in Island logging truck crash seeks answers

The family of a 43-year-old man who died in a tragic crash involving a logging truck near Cumberland on May 24 is still struggling to find answers surrounding the man's death.

Summer Muzyka is the younger sister of Andrew Linklater, who was killed when a load of logs spilled off a truck rounding the corner where the Comox Valley Parkway connects to the Inland Island Highway on-ramp.

“I’ve never experienced anything like this in my life," says Muzyka. "We feel lost and confused and devastated at the same time, so losing a person and not having any answers makes it even harder.”

Muzyka believes her brother had stopped on the on-ramp so his dog could go to the washroom. As he was heading back to the driver’s side of his pickup, the logs came towards him. A second person in the pickup not related to Linklater survived the crash.

“My sister-in-law and my mother have been reaching out to RCMP and just anyone that can give them information, leaving messages with ICBC and they don’t get anything back,” she says.

LOGGING TRUCK STATEMENT

The truck was owned by Klaus Posselt Logging, of Burns Lake, B.C., and was operating under a contract to Mosaic Forest Management.

The company supplied a statement to CTV News about the crash.

“Mosaic Forest Management is deeply saddened by this incident," the statement reads. "We extend our sincere condolences to the family and friends affected by this tragic event. This incident involved one of our contractors’ trucks on May 24. Mosaic is co-operating with the investigation currently underway.”

GENEROUS INDIVIDUAL

Muzyka describes her brother as a very generous individual who was well-known up and down Vancouver Island, largely as the operator of a roofing company.

She says he was in the Comox Valley working on a roofing job around the time the crash occurred.

“He loved the outdoors, whether it was going into the mountains to fish at a lake, going for a hike with his kids and fishing in the ocean, prawning, crabbing, (he) just loved it. He was very outdoorsy, never indoors,” she says.

She says he played a big part in every community that he worked in and was also very generous.

“One Thanksgiving, he bought 25 turkeys and gave them out," Muzyka says. "And he put people to work all the time that needed work."

She says Linklater will be remembered as a great father who was active in the community, participating in functions with his four children, including baseball and football.

ROAD CHANGES

It’s not known whether speed played a role in the crash, but Linklater’s family wants to know whether better signage designed for truckers or improvements at the crash location are needed.

“There’s a crosswalk right there, so even if there was someone crossing there, he would have not been able to stop," Muzyka says. "It’s clearly an issue that needs to be addressed and fixed."

The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure says its thoughts are with all involved in this tragic incident, and that the site has been inspected.

“We take our commitment to safety on provincial roads and highways very seriously," the ministry said in a statement to CTV News.

"When a crash occurs on a provincial highway, ministry staff visit the site to conduct a thorough review of the location, including its condition, speed limit and nearby signs. This often involves our engineering staff to assess technical considerations at the site. In any serious incident, we also communicate with the RCMP during its investigation."

“While the ministry’s review after this incident did not find the need for changes at this crash site, the ministry will consider any recommendations that may arise as a result of the coroner’s report or further discussion with the RCMP,” the statement continues.

GOFUNDME

An online fundraiser with a goal of $20,000 has been created for Linklater’s widow and four children, who range in age from 11 to 20.