A weekend wedding ended in tragedy Saturday (Aug. 20) evening after a driver collided into a group of the party-goers while exiting her driveway.
Neighbour to the home hosting the wedding, the driver in her 60s was pulling away from her property through their shared driveway when she struck the group.
West Vancouver Police and paramedics were called to the home in the 400-block of Keith Road at about 6:10 p.m., where they determined two of the wedding-goers, both women in their 60s, had been killed.
Police say another seven people, including the driver, were taken to hospital. Two were left with life-altering injuries.
Speaking with media Monday, media relations officer Const. Nicole Braithwaite confirmed the driver remains hospital but didn’t say whether she is one of the two critically injured people.
Braithwaite said over 50 people were at the wedding party, and all of those injured were adults. She did not say what age the two deceased individuals were, nor whether the bride or groom were involved.
“It was a tragic incident that happened on what should have been someone’s happiest day of their life,” she said.
The Lower Mainland Integrated Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Service is now investigating the crash to determine what factors may have been at play, including medical distress, speed, impairment, human error or criminality.
Forensic collision reconstructionist Corp. Dave Noon said they have taken the involved vehicle, a 2016 Range Rover, into their possession. They are also writing a warrant to obtain the vehicle’s Event Data Recorder, which captures information like speed and whether a safety belt was in use.
Anyone affected by the crash is encouraged to reach out to the West Vancouver Police Department’s victim services team at 604-925-7468.