News release

Police look for more witnesses after a fatal collision near Smithers. Alcohol is a suspected factor

April 7, 2026 - Witset, British Columbia
From: BC Highway Patrol

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One man is dead and two more were seriously injured after a collision Thursday night near Smithers, and BC Highway Patrol needs more witnesses and dash camera footage to determine exactly what happened.

Police received a call on April 2, 2026, just after 8:30 p.m., to the westbound lanes of Highway #16 West just outside of Witset, BC. Initial investigation found that a grey Dodge flatdeck pickup was stopped at the side of the highway with a mechanical issue. The occupants of two other vehicles had stopped to help when a westbound black Chevrolet Tahoe collided with the stationary grey Dodge flatdeck pickup.

A 60-year-old Witset man was killed, and a 45-year-old Calgary man was seriously injured; both of those men were out of their vehicles and trying to help at the time of the collision. The 42-year-old Witset man who was driving the black Chevrolet Tahoe was also seriously hurt.

“Police suspect that alcohol is a factor,” says Corporal Michael McLaughlin with BC Highway Patrol. “It’s important that we find witnesses and video to not only the collision itself, but to the behaviour of the driver of the black Chevrolet Tahoe in the hours before the collision.” 

If you witnessed the minutes leading to the collision or observed the driver of the black Chevrolet Tahoe in the hours before the collision, please call BC Highway Patrol – Smithers at 1-250-847-3233 and quote file (3505) 2026-1078.

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