Good Samaritan killed in Coquihalla Highway crash stopped to help with minor accident

A 48-year-old man who died in a multi-vehicle accident on the Coquihalla Highway in B.C.'s southern Interior on Thursday had stoppedto help a group dealing with a minor accident.

A small car initially collided with a northbound commercial vehicle nearthe Coldwater Interchange south of Merritt. No one was injured and the two drivers were exchanging information on the side of the road.

The accidentvictim,fromSalmon Arm, B.C., pulled over to offer assistance.

A chain reaction of collisions followed, with two more vehicles crashinginto the group. The Good Samaritan was pronounced dead at the scene afterparamedics arrivedaround 5:30 p.m. PT.

Six people, including the driver and passenger from the first collision,were taken to hospital with injuries: two were flown by air ambulance in critical condition and another four were taken by ground ambulance in stable condition.

It'sthe second time in a yearapasserby has been killed after stopping to help on the CoquihallaHighway.

The highwaybetween Hope and Merritt was closed for several hours on Thursday, but has since reopened in both directions.

Joshua Knaak, who wasdriving from Kamloops to Vancouver, said he came across three vehicles that appeared to be involved in a collision. He said at least one appeared to be heavily damaged.

As he was near the scene, two helicopters flew in to join numerous emergency vehicles and a tow truck.

Watch as helicopters fly in and out of the crash scene on the Coquihalla Highway:

Emergency crews respond to fatal Coquihalla crash

5 years ago

Duration 0:29

Numerous emergency vehicles responded to a deadly crash on the Coquihalla Highway Thursday evening, between Hope and Merritt.

Crews were performing chest compressions on one person, he said,and at least one person was trapped underneath a vehicle.

"We heard from everyone here that it was a very brutal scene," Knaak said, adding that he used to be a volunteer first responder. "My thoughts are certainly with them."