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Ponoka teen among victims of B.C. crash

A Ponoka teenager has been identified as one of six people killed in a horrific crash on the August long weekend 20 km east of Golden.

A Ponoka teenager has been identified as one of six people killed in a horrific crash on the August long weekend 20 km east of Golden.

Syeda Alizay Asad, 14, died when the westbound minivan she was travelling in collided head on with a motorhome on the Trans Canada Highway at about 11:35 a.m. on Sunday.

Kelowna RCMP say the girl perished in the collision while riding in the back seat of the van.

The 47-year-old deceased driver, Arshad Mahmood, and his wife Shekila and their two daughters, aged 15 and 13, were family friends of the girl. They were from Edmonton. Another passenger, Arshad’s father, 81-year-old Muhammed Shraif, of Pakistan, also died at the scene.

The fifth member of the Mahood family, 11-year-old Muhammad Aashar Mahmood, was riding in another vehicle with Asad’s family and wasn’t hurt.

“Both the driver and front passenger of the minivan were wearing their seatbelts, however given the nature of the collision and size of motorhome involved, it is clear that they suffered severe trauma from the impact of the collision,” said Cpl. Dan Moskaluk, spokesman for Kelowna RCMP. “All four rear compartment passengers were not wearing their seatbelts at the time of the collision.”

Police are investigating driver fatigue or inattention.

A full mechanical inspection of the van was to be done this week to determine if mechanical failure was a factor.