Mock Disaster fatal car collision

*Scenarios depicted in the following article and photos were part of a student training exercise at Lethbridge College. No one was actually injured or involved in the described accident Saturday morning*

A car collision at the Trades Mall this morning has resulted in a death and several injuries to other victims. The accident occurred at 9 a.m. in Lot H on the east side of the mall. Austin Watson was a witness to the accident. He said that the SUV was swerving, jumped the median into the parking lot and struck a blue sedan. The sedan then lunged forward from the impact and proceeded to strike a motorcycle, knocking its driver to the ground. The driver of the SUV, who was intoxicated, then fled the scene. “Me and the motorcycle driver both yelled at him to stop, when he turned to look at me, he dropped his ball cap and then continued on,” said Watson. There were three people in the SUV including a child.

EMS tends to the young child who was an occupant in the SUV on Apr. 2.

EMS tends to the young child who was an occupant in the SUV on Apr. 2.

EMS speaks with Kara Kulak, an occupant of the blue sedan on Apr. 2.

EMS speaks with Kara Kulak, an occupant of the blue sedan on Apr. 2.

Kara Kulak was an occupant in the blue sedan that was struck by the SUV. One passenger in the sedan was pronounced dead at the scene. Kulak was in the back seat of the sedan and the other two occupants were in the front. One of the occupants was celebrating their 30th birthday today and they were on their way to the mall. They were waiting for a parking spot at the time of the collision. Kulak was not injured, but shaken up from the accident. “That guy came out of nowhere… He just smashed right into us and then he ran away,” said Kulak. The name of the deceased will not be released until their next of kin has been notified.

The motorcycle driver, the injured occupant of the Pontiac and both occupants of the SUV were transported to the hospital from the scene.

Constable Olivia Ferrier says the driver of the SUV has been identified as 42-year-old James Roger Willis. Willis is a realtor from Sacramento, California who was staying at the Tellalodge Hotel in Lethbridge, AB. Police found Willis at the Tellalodge Hotel within an hour of the accident occuring. Willis has been charged with impaired driving causing death, impaired driving causing bodily harm and failing to remain at the scene of an accident. Other charges may also be laid. He is being held in police custody and will appear in Lethbridge Provincial Court on Monday, Apr. 4 2016 at 10 a.m.

*Scenarios depicted in the article and photos were part of a student training exercise at Lethbridge College. No one was actually injured or involved in the described accident Saturday morning*

Copyright © 2015. All Rights Reserved. No part of this website may be reproduced without written consent. Please contact news@lethbridgecampusmedia.ca for more information. We encourage all readers to share their comments on our stories, photos, video, audio, blogs, columns and opinion pieces. Due to the nature of the academic program, comments will be moderated and will not be published if they contain personal attacks, threats of violence, spam or abuse. Please visit our editorial policy page for more information.
Authors

I am in my final year in the Digital Communications and Media program. My strong passion for writing and learning led me to specialize in digital journalism.

Top