Four people were taken to hospital, two with serious but non-life threatening injuries, after a four-car crash that shut down the Patricia Bay Highway for several hours on Thursday.
The crash occurred about 12:50 p.m. near the East Saanich Road exit.
Deputy Chief Derren Lench of Central Saanich police said a vehicle waiting to turn left onto East Saanich Road was rear-ended by a vehicle travelling at full highway speed. That caused a chain reaction involving another vehicle in the northbound lane and a vehicle in the southbound lane.
The southbound lanes of the highway were blocked off as police waited for a collision reconstructionist to arrive on scene. Traffic was diverted at Island View Road, Central Saanich Road and Tanner Road.
Motorist Dave Dickson said it took an hour and a half to get from Mount Newton Cross Road to Sayward. The highway had reopened by 4:30 p.m.
Police have not yet said if anyone is facing charges.