(FORT FRANCES, ON) On July 30, 2013, officers of the Rainy River District Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), Rainy River District Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and Fort Frances Fire and Rescue Service responded to a multiple motor vehicle collision on Portage Avenue in Fort Frances at approximately 1:50 pm.
A 65 year old male driver was driving his Ford 150 pickup truck southbound on Portage Avenue when he went into medical distress. As his vehicle travelled south under the underpass approaching Third Street East his truck went up onto the west curb and struck a road sign as it approached Second Street East. The truck continued on the sidewalk approaching the Second Street intersection and collided with a southbound pickup truck stopped at the red light causing light damage. The Ford pickup truck continued south through the red light remaining partly on the sidewalk. Three people walking south on the west sidewalk of Portage Avenue were able to jump out of the way of the truck now travelling at a higher rate of speed. At this point the truck crossed over the centre of the roadway narrowly missing a northbound car. The truck continued south in the northbound lane of Portage Avenue through the intersection at First Street East and struck an unoccupied SUV which was parked south of First Street intersection on the east side of Portage Avenue. This SUV was struck with such force that it was pushed into the middle of Portage Avenue. The Ford pickup continued south along the east curb of Portage Avenue and struck another vehicle, a brown minivan, which was parked on the east curb a couple of spaces behind where the SUV had been parked. The truck struck the van head-on and a female sitting in the passenger seat of the van received minor injuries. The van was shoved backwards and up onto the lawn of the United Native Friendship Center.
The driver of the Ford pickup truck was removed from his vehicle with the assistance of Rainy River District Emergency Medical Services and Fort Frances Fire and Rescue. Both the driver of the Ford pickup truck and female passenger of the Dodge minivan received minor injuries and were transported to Fort Frances hospital for medical treatment.
