Keith Lacey photo
RCMP have confirmed that all three people killed in a horrific head-on collision on Hwy. 97 early Tuesday afternoon were local residents.
Police released the names of the deceased on Wednesday.
RCMP said alcohol and speed did not appear to play any role in this tragedy.
Those killed in the accident include Judy Jackson, 63 and the husband and wife Bernard Lee, 78, and Diane Lee, 60.
Both women were pronounced dead at the scene and Bernard Lee was left fighting for his life after the collision, which took place on the stretch of road known locally as “Graveyard Hill”.
The stretch of road was given that name by local residents many years ago as it’s located near the Town of Osoyoos cemetery.
Highway traffic was backed up for several kilometres in either direction following the deadly crash, which took place around 1 p.m.
The RCMP officer in charge of the accident scene said Jackson, who was driving a white minivan northbound, crossed the centre line and struck a southbound grey sports utility vehicle (SUV), driven by Bernard Lee, heading towards Osoyoos when the collision occurred.
The officer said Lee and Jackson were pronounced dead at the scene.
Bernard Lee was rushed by ambulance to Penticton Regional Hospital and was quickly transferred by air ambulance to hospital in Kelowna, where he died as a result of the serious injuries sustained in the crash.
Numerous RCMP officers responded to the scene as did volunteer firefighters from the Osoyoos Volunteer Fire Department.
An accident reconstruction expert from Kelowna was on his way to the accident scene late Tuesday afternoon.
Traffic was backed up from about a quarter mile south of from the accident scene all the way to just outside Osoyoos town limits at around 3:30 p.m.
Traffic coming southbound from Penticton was stretched back as far as the eye could see in the other direction.
Volunteer firefighters and RCMP officers were diverting traffic through 176 Avenue, which runs from the top to bottom of Graveyard Hill in both directions, but vehicles were moving very slowly two hours after the collision occurred.
Traffic congestion remained in both directions until past 7 p.m.
Graveyard Hill has been the site of numerous serious collisions over the past several years.
Funeral arrangements for the deceased are expected to be finalized in the coming days.
Keith Lacey
Special to the Chronicle
