A stretch of Highway 19 near the Mount Washington entrance was temporarily closed Wednesday as emergency personnel freed a man trapped in his vehicle.
Comox Valley RCMP responded to a report of a two-vehicle collision in the northbound lane of the Inland Island Highway near the turn off to the Mount Washington ski resort.
RCMP learned that a full-sized panel van was driving 110 km/h northbound in the fast lane. There are indications the driver misjudged the speed of an Emcon support vehicle behind a street sweeper doing five to 10 kilometres an hour, in the same lane.
The ensuing collision was a high-speed impact that resulted in the driver of the van being pinned inside his vehicle. The driver of the Emcon support vehicle was also injured and was transported to St. Joseph's General Hospital by BC Ambulance for treatment of his injuries.
The highway was closed while emergency crews extricated the man in the van and an air ambulance airlifted him to Victoria for treatment of his injuries. The highway has since reopened.
North Island Traffic Services also attended the scene and are assisting with this investigation.
— Comox Valley RCMP