Three young people were injured, one critically, after the truck they were in collided with a train at a main downtown intersection in Olds late Tuesday.
Olds RCMP and firefighters, as well as ambulance crews, were dispatched shortly before 11:45 p.m. to a collision involving a pickup truck and CP Rail train at the intersection of 50th Street and 50th Avenue.
RCMP say the pickup truck was westbound on 50th Street when it collided with the southbound locomotive. At the time of the crossing, the crossing arms and alternating flashing lights and bells were activated and functioning, say police.
The 20-year-old female driver from Edmonton and a 20-year-old Ontario male passenger in the backseat were transported to Olds Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
An 18-year-old man from Manitoba seated in the front passenger seat was flown by STARS to Calgary where he remains in critical condition, police said on Wednesday.
STARS spokesman Cam Heke said they were dispatched shortly after midnight and at 12:30 a.m. the air ambulance arrived at the Olds Hospital.
“We transported the male to the Foothills Medical Centre,” said Heke. “He had very serious injuries. He was stable enroute to the hospital and sustained potentially life-threatening injuries.”
Heke said this man had been trapped in the truck and had to be extricated by firefighters.
Cpl. Warren Wright, spokesman with Didsbury RCMP, said the truck somehow navigated through the crossing arms.
Alcohol doesn’t appear to be a factor, say police.
Olds RCMP, with the assistance of an RCMP collision analyst and CPR Police continue to investigate.
ltester@www.reddeeradvocate.com