Vancouver Island tow truck driver injured, several vehicles damaged as pothole repairs drag on
A tow truck operator is at home recovering from his injuries after his truck was sideswiped at a chaotic scene in Nanoose Bay, B.C., on Tuesday evening.
Several tow trucks were operating in a circuit assisting dozens of vehicles that had become damaged after hitting two potholes along Highway 19 between and Lantzville Road and Northwest Bay Road.
Manager Mike Oldfield of Mid Island Towing confirmed his driver had been injured and was home resting after being released from hospital earlier in the evening.
Oldfield says he can’t comment further on the incident involving one of his vehicles because a criminal investigation has been launched.
He says a lot of motorists were assisted throughout the evening but it was impossible to know at this point how many flats were repaired or how many vehicles were towed.
The area was due for patching later Tuesday evening and Daniel Hutchins, general manager for construction company Mainroad Group's Mid-Island region, says signs were placed to warn motorists about the potential danger.
A large sign warning motorists about potholes in the slow lane for 10 kilometres was situated near the Snaw'Naw'as Shell station at the front end of the problem area.
“We’ve tried to sign all the potholes when they appear but we’re patching some of these areas two, three times a day until we can get permanent repairs in there so please be cautious,” he told CTV News on Tuesday morning.
Nanoose Bay Towing owner Russ Dutton says many of the people involved in the pothole incident were probably innocent drivers but others were simply travelling too fast.
Dutton says he was receiving calls from many drivers crying and terrified to get out of their disabled vehicles.
“There’s people blowing through there at 110 km/h, as soon as they see an opening they’ve got it right to the floor and they’re gone and boom, they hit the holes,” he says.
Dutton says he was knocked out while working on a tow job previously and was "left for dead" after the driver left the scene. He would like to see $2,000 fines and automatic impoundment for drivers who don’t obey the "slow down and move over" laws.
“Somebody’s loved one could be just opening their door at that time, like the driver of that tow truck," he says. "He’s got a family, he deserves to go home at the end of the day but last night he went home in a cast. Luckily he went home in a cast. Luckily,” Dutton says.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
B.C. tenants evicted for landlord's use after refusing large rent increase to take over neighbouring suite
Ashley Dickey and her mother rented part of the same Coquitlam duplex in three different decades under three different landlords.
Mountain guide dies after falling into a crevasse in Banff National Park
A man who fell into a crevasse while leading a backcountry ski group deep in the Canadian Rockies has died.
Expert warns of food consumption habits amid rising prices
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
MPP Sarah Jama asked to leave Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
MPP Sarah Jama was asked to leave the Legislative Assembly of Ontario by House Speaker Ted Arnott on Thursday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment which has been banned at Queen’s Park.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
Ex-tabloid publisher testifies he scooped up possibly damaging tales to shield his old friend Trump
As Donald Trump was running for president in 2016, his old friend at the National Enquirer was scooping up potentially damaging stories about the candidate and paying out tens of thousands of dollars to keep them from the public eye.
Here's why provinces aren't following Saskatchewan's lead on the carbon tax home heating fight
After Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the federal government would still send Canada Carbon Rebate cheques to Saskatchewan residents, despite Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe's decision to stop collecting the carbon tax on natural gas or home heating, questions were raised about whether other provinces would follow suit. CTV News reached out across the country and here's what we found out.
Montreal actress calls Weinstein ruling 'discouraging' but not surprising
A Montreal actress, who has previously detailed incidents she had with disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, says a New York Court of Appeals decision overturning his 2020 rape conviction is 'discouraging' but not surprising.
Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye make it four NFL drafts with quarterbacks going 1-3
Caleb Williams is heading to the Windy City, aiming to become the franchise quarterback Chicago has sought for decades.