(THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck)
Alcohol is believed to be a factor in two separate crashes that killed two people on Manitoba roads this long weekend.
A 31-year-old woman died Friday morning when the pickup truck she was riding in lost control, hit the ditch and then struck a large tree on Sturgeon Landing Road, 15 kilometres west of Highway 10.
RCMP say a 53-year-old female passenger was taken to hospital with serious injuries, while the 49-year-old female driver wasn’t injured. Charges are pending against the driver for impaired driving causing death and bodily harm.
All three women were from Sturgeon Landing, Saskatchewan.
On Saturday, a 36-year-old man was killed while riding an off-road side-by-side vehicle in the RM of Tache. Police say it was carrying an eight-year-old boy when the vehicle rolled, landing on top of the man. He was pronounced deceased in hospital.
RCMP say neither the man or child were wearing helmets or seatbelts. The boy wasn’t injured.
In a third accident, three people were injured Saturday morning on the shoulder of Highway 1 about 3.5 kilometres east of Portage la Prairie.
RCMP say an SUV pulling a trailer pulled over to fix a strap on the load, along with another vehicle. Three people got out to fix the strap when they were struck by another eastbound vehicle that veered onto the shoulder. The impact sent the parked car into the ditch, striking a woman. She was taken to hospital with serious injuries, but is listed in stable condition.
Two other people were treated on scene and released.
RCMP are reminding drivers to pay attention and slow down as the busy summer travel season wraps up.
The investigation into all three crashes is continuing.
