LINWOOD: An elderly man from Inverness County is dead following a multi-car collision in a construction zone on Highway 104 last week, 40 kilometres outside of Antigonish.
Antigonish District RCMP responded to the scene of a motor vehicle collision in Linwood around 9:45 a.m. on July 7, and found a line of vehicles had been stopped along the highway, as traffic was backed up due to construction.
According to police, a grey station wagon approached the traffic and did not slow down.
The collision resulted in a chain reaction that saw three parked vehicles being hit from behind. The grey station wagon hit a white SUV which was pushed forward into a stopped black car, which was then pushed forward into a parked grey car.
All four vehicles suffered significant damage as a result, the release said.
“Based on the way the collision occurred, our investigators believe that speed was a factor,” RCMP Public Information Officer Cpl. Chris Marshall told The Reporter. “However the investigation is ongoing.”
The driver of the grey station wagon, an 81-year-old, who caused the multi-vehicle collision, suffered fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased in the ambulance while en route to the hospital.
The passenger of the station wagon was taken to hospital with serious injuries, but survived.
The driver and passenger in both the white SUV and grey car only suffered minor injuries. The driver of the black car suffered minor injuries as well, but the passenger suffered serious injuries and was taken to hospital by ambulance.
A collision reconstructionist attended the scene and while the investigation is still ongoing, speed is believed to be a factor.
“Our thoughts are with the victims’ families at this difficult time,” Cpl. Marshall added.