Truck crash fatality ID’d
Photo: Skilled Truckers Canada
Mike Beernaerts
The semi driver killed in a head-on collision Monday night east of Kamloops along Highway 97 near Monte Creek has been identified.
Mike Beernaerts was a transport truck driver with Reimer Bros. He was behind the wheel of one of two tractor trailers that collided head-on just after 5:30 p.m. on Feb. 12.
The other truck driver survived.
According to a social media post by Reimer Bros, Beernaerts had been with the company for five months before the crash.
“It is with heavy hearts that we mourn the passing of our dear colleague, Mike Beernaerts. Mike tragically lost his life on the night of Monday. Mike’s infectious smile and laughter brightened our days. Not only was he an exceptional trucker, but he was also a remarkable human being.”
“Everyone at Reimer Bros can attest to the fact that Mike’s presence will be deeply missed. In losing him, we have lost not just a great driver, but a great man. Our heartfelt condolences go out to all who knew him, worked alongside him, and his family during this difficult time,” the Facebook post said.
Skilled Truckers Canada Facebook also shared a social media post identifying Beernaerts.
“He was one hell of a driver. He knew his way around a truck and knew our highways,” the post shared.
BC Highway Patrol Cpl. Melissa Jongema tells Castanet it’s too early to say definitively, but the cause of the crash appears to have been the result of one of the drivers failing to navigate a bend in the road.
Five ambulances were dispatched to the crash site at 5:46 p.m., according to BC Emergency Health Services.
Photo: Contributed
Two semis crashed head-on along Highway 97 near Monte Lake late Monday afternoon.
Credit: Source link
