Surrey Man Killed in Wrong-Way Crash on the Coquihalla; Police Appeal for Witnessesਕੋਕੀਹਾਲਾ 'ਤੇ ਗਲਤ ਪਾਸੇ ਆਏ ਵਾਹਨ ਨਾਲ ਟੱਕਰ ਵਿੱਚ ਸਰੀ ਦੇ ਨੌਜਵਾਨ ਦੀ ਮੌਤ

A 24-year-old man from Surrey was killed and three other men from Surrey were seriously injured on Saturday morning when a pickup truck travelling the wrong way on the Coquihalla Highway near Merritt, British Columbia, crashed head-on into their SUV, the BC Highway Patrol says. The driver of the pickup, a 22-year-old man from Coldwater, was detained for suspected impaired driving. Police are now appealing for witnesses and dashcam video to establish what the pickup driver was doing before he started driving the wrong way.

What happened on Highway 5 near Merritt?

At about 8:30 am on Saturday, October 17, police received multiple calls about a vehicle driving south in the northbound lanes of Highway 5, the BC Highway Patrol said in its release, reported by CityNews Vancouver and Postmedia. While officers were on their way to intercept it, the black Toyota Tacoma crashed head-on with a white Toyota RAV4 just south of the Helmer exit near Merritt, causing catastrophic damage to both vehicles. The 24-year-old Surrey man, a passenger in the RAV4, died at the scene. Three other Surrey men, aged between 24 and 38, were taken to hospital with serious injuries. The Tacoma driver, the pickup's only occupant, had minor injuries and was detained for suspected impaired driving. Police say speed and impairment are suspected factors in the crash.

Who was the man who died?

Police have not publicly named the man who died. Punjab Newsline identifies him as Jaskirat Singh, 24, a resident of Rattak village in Karnal district, Haryana, and reports that his parents identified his body. According to the outlet, the four men had left Surrey at around 5 am on Saturday for Edmonton when the wrong-way pickup hit their car near Merritt. It reports that two of the injured men are in critical condition and were airlifted to hospitals in Kelowna and Kamloops, and that the third was admitted to a nearby hospital. Those details come from Punjab Newsline's reporting and have not been confirmed by police, who have released only the ages and the fact that all four men in the SUV were from Surrey.

What are police asking the public for?

"We need more video and witnesses who can tell us what the driver of the black Toyota Tacoma was doing before he started driving," said Sergeant Michael McLaughlin of the BC Highway Patrol. "Some witnesses say the black Toyota Tacoma entered Highway 5 near Lac Le Jeune. If you saw what the driver was doing before he started driving, we need to talk to you." Anyone who saw the driving behaviour or the crash, or who has dashcam footage, is asked to call the BC Highway Patrol in Kamloops at 250-828-3111 and quote file (2100) 2026-2997.

Why this highway keeps making headlines

The Coquihalla, Highway 5 between Hope and Kamloops, is one of British Columbia's busiest mountain highways and a route many Punjabi families in Surrey and the Fraser Valley use for trips to the Interior and Alberta. A fatal wrong-way crash in the early morning, with impairment suspected, is the kind of case where the police appeal matters: investigators are trying to reconstruct the pickup driver's movements before he entered the highway, and witnesses from that morning may hold the missing pieces. Jugti will update this story when police release further findings or charges.

When and where did the crash happen?

At about 8:30 am on Saturday, October 17, on Highway 5, the Coquihalla, just south of the Helmer exit near Merritt, British Columbia.

How many people were hurt?

One Surrey man, 24, died at the scene. Three other Surrey men, aged 24 to 38, were taken to hospital with serious injuries. The pickup driver, 22, from Coldwater, had minor injuries and was detained for suspected impaired driving.

How can witnesses contact police?

Call BC Highway Patrol in Kamloops at 250-828-3111 and quote file (2100) 2026-2997, especially if you saw the black Toyota Tacoma near Lac Le Jeune or have dashcam video.