A semi-truck rollover on Highway 19 Saturday morning delayed northbound traffic for several hours.
The rollover happened just after 6:20 a.m. Saturday about two kilometres south of Cook Creek Road, near the Bowser Ecological Reserve, according to Cpl. Travis Strong of Oceanside RCMP.
Strong said an officer came across the crash on their way to work and notified police. He said Comox Valley RCMP officers then arrived on the scene while Oceanside RCMP shut down the northbound lanes at the intersection of Horne Lake Road.
“It was heading south on the highway, but had crossed the ditch and rolled over northbound lanes on its left-hand side,” said Strong. “So, it was effectively blocking both lanes. There was no way to get around it.”
Traffic was held up for around three or four hours because a large tow truck was required to move the tractor and trailer out of the way, resulting in heavy traffic heading north along with detours on Highway 19A, according to police.
There were no injuries in the crash, however, an investigation by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Enforcement revealed the driver may not have been following all their requirements, said Strong. He also said police believe the driver of the semi may have fallen asleep at the wheel briefly because they’d been working all night.
“As a result, there was a number of motor vehicle act charges against the driver for not maintaining proper logs and inspection documentation,” Strong said.
The northbound lanes were clear at 12:35 p.m., according to DriveBC.
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Justin Waddell
