A single vehicle accident claimed the life of 62-year-old Bruce Batke, a resident of Wynndel, on Oct. 17.
Batke, a passenger in the Ford pickup, was thrown out of the vehicle when it left Duck Creek Forest Service Road. Creston RCMP and the BC Coroners Service are investigating the incident. Police estimate there was a two-and-a-half-hour delay between the crash and the call for medical help.
“The ambulance service was responding to a complaint of a male in medical distress following a motor vehicle collision,” Const. Dave Skretting said last week. “Upon arrival to the residence, police learned the male had been a passenger in the vehicle that was involved in the collision.”
“The primary investigation suggests that the vehicle lost control on a soft shoulder and slid into a ditch,” he said. “It is believed that the deceased party was ejected from the vehicle, while the driver remained inside the cab. Following the crash, the two occupants called a family member for transportation from the scene, and did not alert emergency services to the crash.”
Batke was transported to Creston Valley Hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries.