Deadly collision closes northbound Peace Arch border crossing

Photo by Zoe Deal

By Zoe Deal

One man is dead following a two-vehicle collision south of the Peace Arch border Thursday morning, said Surrey RCMP.

Police are investigating the collision which occurred at approximately 11:30 a.m. and resulted in one fatality and multiple injuries.

The collision occurred south of the border crossing but on Canadian territory, putting the collision in the jurisdiction of Surrey RCMP.

The crash involved a black Porsche Cayenne SUV and Toyota Sienna van. The sole occupant of the Toyota, a male driver, was pronounced dead at the scene, according to a Surrey RCMP press release. The sole occupant of the Porsche was transported to a hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Peace Arch Provincial Park employee Mitchell Gerhardt, 25, of Surrey, B.C. was spreading manure in the garden bed, known for its annual flower flag display, when he heard the Porsche speed toward the border crossing at a high speed. It was his first day on the job.

“When I saw he wasn’t going to stop, I ran behind the bushes,” Gerhardt said. The crash catapulted both vehicles into the flag garden.

“The van just instantly burst into flames,” he said.

Nearby residents who gathered at the scene reported hearing a series of five or more explosions. Flames were visible from some Canadian residents’ front yards.

Northbound traffic was closed on Thursday afternoon as a result of the crash. The border crossings SR 543, SR 539 and SR 9 were all open, but WSDOT said to expect delays.