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Woman killed in four-car collision
Five injured in crash near Falmouth

FALMOUTH — One person was killed and five others injured in a four-vehicle crash on Highway 101 near Falmouth late Sunday afternoon.

Const. Sharon Johnson of the RCMP’s Annapolis Valley Traffic Services said it appears a westbound Toyota Echo crossed into the eastbound lane and struck the front driver’s side of one car before crashing head-on into a Chevrolet Malibu.

The Echo spun around and was struck by a van, also travelling east.

A 65-year-old woman in the back seat of the Echo was pronounced dead at the scene.

The driver and a front-seat passenger, both believed to be in their 30s, were taken to Hants Community Hospital in Windsor. The driver was later transferred to hospital in Halifax.

The driver of the Malibu, a man in his 70s, was airlifted to hospital in Halifax with undetermined injuries. A female passenger in her 70s and another in her 40s were taken to the Windsor hospital and then transferred to Halifax.

The occupants of the other two vehicles were not injured.

Windsor firefighters were called to the scene to help free the victims.

The front end of the Echo was severely damaged in the crash. The Malibu was also damaged and it appeared that the left front tire had been torn off.

The highway was closed between Falmouth and Hantsport for about three hours while police investigated and the debris was cleaned up. A sweeper vehicle from the Transportation Department was brought in to clear the road, sending plumes of dust into the air as it swept dirt from the pavement.

Sunday’s fatality was the first on the infamous highway since a woman was killed about four kilometres near Hantsport, four kilometres away, in February 2006.

Const. Johnson said speed and alcohol have been ruled out as factors in the crash. The investigation is continuing.

The name of the deceased woman is not being released pending notification of next of kin.

( ifairclough@herald.ca)