GHOST LAKE, ALTA. CRASH
VICTIMS IDENTIFIED AS 2 CALGARY MEN. A
TRUCK FELL MORE THAN 100 METRES (300 FEET) FROM A STEEP EMBANKMENT
The father of one of the young Calgary men who died
after a truck fell more than 100 metres from a steep embankment this
weekend says it was just an unfortunate accident.
Three men — who were lifelong friends — were camping
near Ghost Lake, Alta., when it happened. Emergency crews responded to a call
just after 4:30 a.m. MT on Sunday that a truck had gone over an embankment.
When EMS arrived at the scene they encountered
the driver of the truck, 19-year-old Logan Toews. He is believed to have
climbed up the embankment after the crash to get help.
"This wasn't any one thing that Logan did, or
anyone else did," said Wack's father Tim Leshchyshyn. "You know
this is a tragic ending to a series of events that didn't have to happen,
but they have, so now it's about how we carry on forward."
Toews was taken to hospital with serious injuries to his
legs, frostbite and hypothermia. Police say he is in serious but stable
condition.
RCMP say Toews was driving the truck towards the lookout
when the truck failed to stop. Fish and Wack were riding in the open-air
bed of the truck at the time of the accident. Toews told police he tried to
perform CPR on his friends before going for help.
When EMS rappelled to the scene of the accident,
they discovered Fish and Wack dead at the scene more than six metres from
where the truck came to rest.
Friends have been sending messages of support to Toews
on Facebook. He also issued a statement.
"I can't begin to feel for their families, but I
would like them to know how sorry I am this happened," said Toews in
a Facebook post. "Those two boys are like brothers to me and that
will never change."
RCMP are still investigating the cause of the crash.