A massive collision shut down Highway 99 at Cleveland Avenue for over an hour Monday (May 11) afternoon while rescuers used the Jaws of Life to pry one man from his pickup truck before airlifting him to Vancouver General Hospital.
A female victim from the second vehicle involved in the accident is also in Squamish hospital. RCMP was not immediately able to report on the extent of their injuries.
The collision occurred when a red car travelling northbound on Highway 99 turned left onto Cleveland Avenue and was struck by a pickup truck as it crossed the intersection while travelling southbound on Highway 99.
The truck launched into the air, rolling over and hitting another pickup truck sitting at the intersection, sending it skidding sideways a few feet.
The truck finally landed on its side and the lone driver was pinned inside his vehicle for about 20 minutes. The Jaws of Life was used to cut away the roof to access him.
He was conscious when an ambulance helicopter landed on Highway 99 shortly afterwards to airlift him to Vancouver General Hospital.
A mother and two children were in the red car, according to RCMP Cpl. Dave Ritchie.
"The children are OK and the mother is being treated at the hospital," he said.
Police, RCMP officers, firefighters and paramedics were on the scene within minutes, attempting to get all witness accounts of what happened.
Jordan Schnurr's truck was struck and moved about two feet sideways by the impact.
"I was stopped at the light, talking to a friend in the truck beside and heard impact then saw the truck in the air spinning and coming towards me," said Schnurr.
A large crowd gathered to watch the scene unravel, some filming the accident and the helicopter's descent.
"In all my 25 years here in Squamish, I've never seen a helicopter land on Highway 99," said one bystander.
