VANCOUVER —A Washington state man was arrested by Surrey RCMP on Thursday following a fiery crash at the Peace Arch border crossing that left one person dead.
Surrey RCMP said investigators determined a Porsche Cayenne SUV, driven by the Washington man, crashed into a Toyota Sienna van, causing the van to catch fire.
The driver of the Porsche was taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries after being arrested at the scene. “In consultation with the B.C. Prosecution Service, investigators have released the driver from police custody as the investigation continues,” RCMP said.
The driver of the van, who was alone in the vehicle, was pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators are working with the B.C. Coroners Service to identify the individual.
The crash happened around 11:30 a.m. just north of the Canada-U.S. border.
Vancouver musician Dan Mangan and his wife witnessed the accident as they waited to cross the border en route to a performance in Seattle.
According to Mangan, the Porsche hit the van at full speed, pushing it nearly 70 metres and sending both vehicles off the road. Then the van caught fire.
“As they impact into this sort of manicured, landscaped area, the van that was the recipient of the crash just bursts into flames,” Mangan said. “Twenty-foot flames. Plumes of dark black smoke coming out of it.”
Mangan said the flames were so intense that it was impossible to determine who was inside the burning van, but other witnesses were able to reach the driver of the SUV.
“People were running toward the car apprehensively, because they were worried about it exploding, yelling: ‘Get out of the car, get out of the car,’ ” Mangan said. “A couple real heroes that were closer to it … were able to pull the driver out.
“He was in the driver’s seat. He hadn’t moved. They pull him out. He comes to and, I think, realizes what had just happened,” Mangan said.
He said the rescued driver appeared distraught, gesturing to the burning vehicle as it became apparent that its occupant would not escape the blaze.
“Whoever was in that van was toast,” Mangan said. He and the other border crossers could only watch and wait for emergency crews as the vehicle burned.
“There was a good 10 minutes or so where we were just sort of watching this tragedy unfold, and everybody was out of their cars,” he said. “You could see parents walking their toddlers away so the kids wouldn’t see it.”
