Police say alcohol and weather do not appear to be factors in a fatal crash that killed three people and sent four others to hospital on Monday evening.
The crash happened on Highway 27 near the town of Olds at about 5:45 p.m.
Police say a van with six people inside collided with an SUV head-on.
A woman was the only person in the SUV and was pronounced dead at the scene.
The driver of the Ford van and a passenger in a rear seat were also killed in the crash.
“A total of seven people were assessed, three of those, unfortunately, paramedics had to make the tough call of determining them deceased on scene,” said Adam Loria, Calgary EMS.
Four others in the van were taken to hospital in Calgary and Olds.
“The four that were transported to hospital, three of those four were rushed to Foothills Hospital in Calgary in critical and potentially life threatening condition. Two of those were airlifted by STARS air ambulance and the third was rushed by ground ambulance to Calgary,” said Loria. “The fourth patient, transported to hospital, was transported to Olds General Hospital in serious but stable, non-life threatening condition.”
Police say alcohol and weather do not appear to be factors in the crash.
"Our collision reconstruction out of Red Deer has attended the scene however the roads are what they are now, clear, although surface conditions could have played a role, as far as alcohol being a factor, we’re not suspecting that at this time,” said RCMP Cpl. Shawn Morgan.
A former co-worker has identified the deceased woman as Donna Mills from Olds and police say the occupants of the van are from central Alberta.
RCMP say the Acura was westbound on the highway and the van was travelling eastbound when the crash happened.
Police say initial indications suggest that the van encroached into the westbound lane.
The investigation continues into the cause of the crash.
