A 26 year old Slave Lake man is dead after a passerby discovered a vehicle inverted and submerged in a creek Saturday morning on Highway 44 approximately 6 km south of Highway 2.
Slave Lake RCMP responded to a call at approximately 9 a.m. Saturday. Upon arriving on scene, they determined a southbound pickup collided with a guardrail on a bridge, flipped over and was found upside down on its roof in a creek below.
A man was found submerged in water and was pronounced dead on scene. The cause of the accident remains undetermined.
Emergency services on scene included STARS Air Ambulance, Lesser Slave Regional Fire Department, EMS, in addition to RCMP. The highway was closed for "several hours," according to a Slave Lake RCMP press release Saturday.
According to the release, "Victim Services has been assisting with witnesses, family, and associates of the deceased."
The victim's cause of death remains undetermined pending a coroner's investigation, but Slave Lake RCMP confirmed Saturday that the man was submerged in water.
"An autopsy will be taking place Monday morning," according to Slave Lake RCMP S/Sgt. Roberta McKale
RCMP is insisting that drivers drive to the rules of the road amid seasonal weather drawing higher volumes of traffic onto the highways.
See the May 14, 2013 Advocate for more details.
