Staff
Two people suffered minor injuries in a multi-vehicle collision on Portage Avenue around 1:50 p.m. on Tuesday.
Police said a 65-year-old male was driving his Ford 150 pickup truck southbound on Portage Avenue when he went into medical distress.
As his vehicle travelled south under the underpass approaching Third Street East, his truck went up onto the west curb and struck a road sign as it approached Second Street East.
The truck continued on the sidewalk approaching the Second Street intersection and collided with a southbound pickup truck stopped at the red light, causing light damage.
The Ford pickup truck then continued south through the red light, remaining partly on the sidewalk.
Three people walking south on the west sidewalk of Portage Avenue were able to jump out of the way of the truck, which now was travelling at a higher rate of speed.
At this point, the truck crossed over the centre of the roadway—narrowly missing a northbound car.
Police said the truck continued south in the northbound lane of Portage Avenue through the intersection at First Street East and struck an unoccupied SUV, which was parked south of the First Street intersection on the east side of Portage.
This SUV was struck with such force that it was pushed into the middle of Portage Avenue.
The Ford pickup then continued south along the east curb of Portage Avenue and struck a brown Dodge minivan, which was parked along the east curb a couple of spaces behind where the SUV had been parked.
The truck struck the van head-on, shoving it backwards and up onto the lawn of the United Native Friendship Centre.
The driver of the Ford pickup truck was removed from his vehicle with the assistance of the Rainy River District Emergency Medical Services and Fort Frances Fire and Rescue.
Police said both the driver of the Ford pickup truck and a female passenger of the Dodge minivan received minor injuries.
They were taken to La Verendrye Hospital for treatment.
