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Speed, alcohol considered factors in deadly Calgary crash: police

Two female passengers in the Corolla, aged 31 and 65, died at the scene
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Calgary Police Service headquarters in Calgary, Alta., Monday, May 6, 2019. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press)

The Calgary Police Service says two people are dead after an early-morning multiple-vehicle crash in the city’s northeast.

Police say both speed and alcohol are considered factors in the crash that happened at about 12:30 a.m. Saturday.

“Unfortunately, May long weekend always has the stigma of having a fatality and once again unfortunately it’s happened,” said Acting Sgt. Dan Rogers.

“It always seems like we have a minimum of one.”

Police say a 42-year old man in a Toyota Corolla was making a left turn after heading south off a main thoroughfare when the vehicle was struck by a Hyundai driven by a 21-year-old man heading north.

Two female passengers in the Corolla, aged 31 and 65, died at the scene.

The driver of that vehicle, as well as a 70-year-old male passenger in life-threatening condition, were taken to hospital.

“The one vehicle that had the fatalities and the serious injury all belonged to one family and were on their way home,” Rogers said.

Police say the driver of the Hyundai had no injuries. He was detained at the scene and released, Rogers said, and no charges have been laid.

Rogers said there was a witness at the scene who observed the entire collision, which is why police suspect speed was a factor. Investigators, meanwhile, continue to gather other evidence.

Notification of next-of-kin hasn’t been completed, Rogers said, so names haven’t been released.

He said May 14-20 is Canadian Road Safety Week, when police focus on road habits that are dangerous and kill, such as impaired driving from drugs, alcohol, fatigue or distraction, or aggressive driving or not wearing a seatbelt.

“Whatever the results may come of this collision, whether charges are laid or not, all the individuals involved in this, their life has changed forever. Forever,” Rogers said.

“Even if charges are not laid based on the investigation, you’ve been involved in a collision where lives were lost.”

The Canadian Press