Alleged impaired driver involved in two-vehicle crash east of Port Alberni

File photo.

Two people were sent to hospital Sunday evening after a two-vehicle crash that blocked Highway 4 on the Hump.

Emergency services were called to the crash east of Port Alberni at 7:08 p.m.

According to police, a driver in a Dodge pickup truck lost control and skidded on a wet highway surface, leading to a head-on collision with a Honda Accord.

Police said the rear of the truck lost traction and the driver appeared to have overcorrected his steering to try to regain control. The pickup truck driver then crossed the centre line and struck the approaching car.

Due to the force of the collision, the passenger of the Honda was trapped inside the vehicle and Jaws of Life were used to free the man. The driver and the passenger in the Honda Accord were injured and taken to hospital. They have both been released.

The driver and passengers in the Dodge pickup were not injured. Both vehicles were significantly damaged in the crash and towed from the scene.

The driver of the truck, a 25-year-old Nanaimo man, was taken into custody for allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol. He was released on a promise to appear in court on Jan. 9, 2019. His name has not been released by police.

Drive BC said the road was open again by 9 p.m.

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